Nelson draws hundreds to Powers

Willie Nelson is loyal, even to his guitar, 'Trigger,' his 40-year drummer said.
By SARAH POULTON
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Willie Nelson took 1,700 fans down memory lane and across the "Whiskey River" on Sunday night during a performance that captivated his audience at Powers Auditorium.
Nelson took the stage at 8:30 p.m., culminating the city's first Sundowner, a country western festival at Chestnut and Federal streets that started at 5 with a buffet dinner, courtesy of Powers' new Overture restaurant, and a variety of performers.
Federal Plaza director Claire Maluso said this is the first time that Youngstown collaborated with the Youngstown Symphony Society on a public event. She said that with the opening of Overture, people can experience a complete night on the town and not have to drive from place to place.
"It's a great promotion for the city of Youngstown," Maluso said. "When you walk inside Overture and look out the window, you feel like you're in New York City at Rockefeller Center."
While Nelson was performing inside, country performers Karli Whetstone, Marshall Law and Jeff Best were performing outside on Chestnut Street. Those acts played for 5 1/2 hours before a disc jockey took over to continue the dancing through midnight.
Father and sons
Harmonic Tribe, Nelson's opening act, took the stage at 7:30 p.m. Nelson's two sons, Micah and Lukas, are both in the band and are excited to tour with their dad for the summer. The boys are still in high school, so when summer's over, so is their tour.
"It's pretty cool to be on tour with my dad," Micah said. "It's a great experience."
The Tribe's lead singer, Marty Dread, thinks the band may be going somewhere big. The band has a video coming out on MTV, a song on the soundtrack for the second "Dukes of Hazzard" movie, as well as a cameo in the Dukes movie. Dread added that it's an honor to share a stage with Nelson.
"It's like a dream come true," Dread said. "It's completely breathtaking."
Touring with Nelson is nothing new for drummer Paul English. English has been playing with Nelson for 40 years. Nelson's song "Me and Paul" is about the duo, and English said that Nelson makes it easy to play with him.
"He really is a sweetheart," English said. "There's not enough Willies in the world. He's the most generous man, and very loyal."
English said that "loyal" would be a great way to describe Nelson since the newest member of the band has been playing with them for 23 years, and his guitar, "Trigger" has been with them since 1969. He also said that Nelson came from a different world than most performers and that everything he sings about is true, the good and the bad.
"Back during the hard times, no one told us it was hard," English said. "We were on the road playing music and having a great time. We didn't get into music for the money ... We went into it because we loved it."
Fans tout show
Debbie Smith of New Castle, Pa., saw Nelson in concert about 13 years ago and expected a great show. Smith's cousin, Theresa Frye of Girard, said it was her first time seeing Nelson, and she had been counting down the days for weeks.
"The last time I saw Willie, he was great," Smith said. "The show was fantastic. He puts a little extra something in his performances."
Ken Kester of Youngstown went to the show, not only to see a good concert, but also to celebrate the fact that Youngstown is making a comeback. He said that Nelson really brings life back to downtown.
Downtown streets and parking lots, especially on the west end, were jammed with cars in apparent agreement.
"It's nice to have Willie in town," Kester said. "I'm proud to say that I'm from Youngstown again ... Downtown Youngstown is Ohio's best kept secret."
Nelson played for almost two hours and does so about 150 nights a year, English said. They will be hooking up with Creedence Clearwater Revival singer John Fogerty on July 22 to kick off their upcoming tour in West Palm Beach, Fla.