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The restoration of traditional country to the lineup is easily the rodeo’s biggest course correction this year. In 2016, when the artists with the most seniority were Kenny Chesney and Brad Paisley, the rodeo drew some criticism for its lack of, shall we say, vintage entertainers; attendance also dipped about 1,500 fans per show compared with 2015, when the rodeo set a new total concert-attendance record of 1.4 million fans. This year, both the throwback-sounding Stapleton and Alan Jackson, who will play his 22nd rodeo on March 11, have already gone to standing-room only. And even that pales against the demand for Willie Nelson.
At press time, only season tickets and suites remained for the 83-year-old singer’s March 18 show. Speaking to the concerns over Nelson’s health after the illness-related cancellation of a handful of dates earlier in the year, Kane says he recently spoke with the singer’s agent, who assured him the Red Headed Stranger is feeling much better: “All is well, we believe, in Willie’s world.”
“We absolutely are counting on Willie being here with us 110 percent and ready to go,” he adds.
Indeed, Nelson rebounded to play the San Antonio Livestock Show & Rodeo on February 16, when he debuted a new song called “Still Not Dead.” Kane says he’s a little surprised at the heavy demand for Nelson’s tenth appearance, but then again he isn’t.
“I mean, he’s an icon,” he says. “He’s a Texas icon. At a rodeo. At the largest rodeo in the world. I mean, all of that to me [is] perfect logic.”
“The only thing I would say about Willie is it’s no surprise that Willie did good, but it was a big surprise to me that he did so good,” adds Dan Cheney, the rodeo’s chief operating officer. “That’s probably been the biggest surprise of my career so far, to see him be the leader in this pack that we have, this group of artists. Like Jason says, it speaks to the diversity of our audience.”