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Nelson Entertains The Crowd At The Fruit Yard
Willie Nelson 2 by David McClister 10.30.2012 ShockInk
Willie Nelson will be performing in Turlock on April 6.

The Fruit Yard has kicked off its summer concert series, with legend Willie Nelson taking the stage earlier this month for a sold out show. Each song was met with cheers and applause from the estimated 3,500 people in attendance.

Although he recently turned 86, at the end of April, the iconic Texan sang and jammed on the guitar with an energy that belied his age. Starting the set with “Whiskey River” he had the crowd belting out the words which continued throughout the evening to some fan favorites like “Beer for my Horses,” “If you got the Money Honey I Got the Time,” “You Were Always On My Mind,” and ending the show with “I Saw the Light.”

Mixing it up a bit Nelson played some songs from Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and Hank Williams. He introduced his band which also included his son. They not only jammed together but they sang together as well. With a new album on the horizon set to come out in June he also played a few new tracks.

The Fruit Yard venue has a lawn area that was filled with people that brought blankets and chairs. The seats that surround the stage were filled with fans sporting their Willie Nelson T-shirts, bandanas, and cowboy boots.

There were a couple entrances to the amphitheater and a few different areas to park in. They had vendors serving up food like Dave’s Meat offering jerky samplings, corn dogs, fries, and tri-tip sandwiches and burritos. There was also beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages available to purchase to quench your thirst.

The temperature was just right for the outdoor venue and the sunset gave the crowd a nice glow. Desure was the opening act and played some tunes as the crowd was settling in.

So far the 2019 line-up at the Fruit Yard will feature acts including Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons slated for June 14, country music artist Justin Moore on July 12, Buddy Guy with Jimmie Vaughan and Charlie Musselwhite on Aug. 11, and Chris Isaak on Aug. 31.

With Nelson tossing out his cowboy hat and a few bandanas during the night and bringing some country gospel to the stage along with his hits, he made it a night to remember at the new Fruit Yard amphitheater.