Willie Nelson: Last of the Breed - Live in Concert (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Last of the Breed" is a remarkable DVD, recording Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Ray Price, live in concert, on the last night of their same-named tour, March 25, 2007 at the Rosemont Theatre. These three old friends, who do love to make music together -- and let's emphasize the "make" in that -- have been doing it for decades, and all are members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. They're three old white guys -- Haggard is 70, Nelson, 74, and Price, 81 -- standing solid and performing, with nearly 100 years of performance between them. They may well be the last of the great honky tonk performers, and the last of the Texas Swing singers, too. They are backed in concert by the Grammy-winning Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel, and Ray Price's Cherokee Cowboys. The road, on which they have all made their livings, features prominently. The DVD, a feature-length recording, gives us 35 songs, captured in high definition and 5.1 digital surround sound, plus extras such as extensive interviews with the principals, a photo gallery of the show, and a tour by Nelson of his bus. In fact, we get to see so much of these artists, we can almost begin to think we know them a little. By the way, it's easy to differentiate this DVD from the same-named CD: the DVD documents most of their greatest hits; the CD doesn't. There are only six songs that appear on both.
The concert is opened by silky country crooner Price. He delivers some of his biggest hits: "San Antonio Rose," "Crazy Arms," a powerful "Release Me and Let Me Love Again," and a melodic "Make the World Go Away." He does, as well, two great Kris Kristofferson numbers, "Help Me Make It Through the Night," and "For the Good Times." Asleep At The Wheel then gives us swinging versions of "Route 66," and "Miles and Miles of Texas." Price returns later in the show with an emotionally resonant "Night Life," which Willie Nelson had a hand in writing.
Merle Haggard has been quoted as saying that music saved his life. He once told the late country music great Johnny Cash that every one of the three concerts Cash gave at California's San Quentin prison was very important to him. Cash replied that he didn't remember Haggard's playing with him on those occasions. Haggard said he'd been incarcerated. And he's just as honest and gritty as a singer. He here performs several of his hits, such as "Take me Back to Tulsa," and, possibly his biggest, "Okie from Muskogee," which he wrote himself: he duets on this with Nelson, that 74-year old hippie, giving the song unexpected spice. He also has a harmonic duet with Nelson on Townes Van Zandt's "Pancho and Lefty," reprising the song, a popular favorite, they recorded together years ago. Haggard further delivers a gorgeous "That's The Way Love Goes," by Lefty Frizzell and Sanger D. (Whitey) Shafer, and several more of his own songs: the lovely "Silver Wings," the rollicking "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink," and "Ramblin' Fever," again with Nelson. Freddy Powers then gives us "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter."
Willie Nelson can render a song, any song, with a passion and purity few artists can match. Furthermore, the man does just seem to like to travel and make music with his friends: I was once lucky enough to catch him in New York's Central Park, one beautiful blue sky spring evening, playing and singing with Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings, then calling themselves The Highwaymen. Lots of good vibes bouncing around. Anyway, on this DVD, Nelson and Ray Price duet on the timeless "Crazy," one of the first songs Nelson ever wrote, a big career-making hit for Patsy Cline. Nelson then does a warm "You Were Always on My Mind." Finally, he delivers rollicking versions of his own "On the Road Again," and "You Don't Think I'm Funny Anymore." And another of his signature tunes, "Whiskey River."
The world is unlikely to deliver another recording of such a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration as this, of these artists, especially with Asleep At The Wheel also on hand. You'd best get it.

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They are the Last of the Breed - the elder statesmen of classic country music who have inspired artists for generations. No one else sings country music with the passion and purity of Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price, and in March 2007, these living legends and Country Music Hall of Famers united on-stage for a once-in-a-lifetime concert event. Now, the final, epic performance of their Last of the Breed tour has been captured in high definition and 5.1 digital surround sound to give fans the ultimate concert experience. Backed by the Grammy Award winning Ray Benson and Asleep At The Wheel and Ray Price s Cherokee Cowboys, THE LAST OF THE BREED: LIVE IN CONCERT delivers a feature-length master class in honky-tonk and Western swing.WILLIE NELSON, MERLE HAGGARD, AND RAY PRICETHE LAST OF THE BREED: LIVE IN CONCERT features live performances of 35 songs including: Always On My Mind, Crazy, For The Good Times, Make The World Go Away, Mama Tried, Night Life, Okie From Muskogee, On The Road Again, Pancho And Lefty, RamblinFever, Route 66, San Antonio Rose, Silver Wings, Sing Me Back Home, Take Me Back To Tulsa, That s The Way Love Goes, Whiskey RiverDVD Features: Interview of Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price on Willie s Buss by Ray Benson; Willie s Personally Guided Tour of His Bus; Photo Gallery

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