When the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame class was announced in May, it was no shock that country music legend Willie Nelson was one of the inductees. Even at the tender age of 90, Nelson is still ripping and running on the road. Just as his birthday celebration concert brought out a star-studded bunch of guest performers and attendees, so did his induction ceremony.
On Friday, November 3, Dave Matthews opened the tribute to Nelson with a performance of his 1962 song “Funny How Time Slips Away.” He then delivered a tongue-in-cheek speech filled with jokes about Nelson’s refusal to retire and his well-documented love of marijuana.
For the remaining performance set, Nelson took the stage. He and Chris Stapleton covered Johnny Bush’s “Whiskey River.” Fellow inductee Sheryl Crow also made a cameo to perform “Crazy,” which Nelson wrote and whose most famous rendition was by Patsy Cline in 1961. Then Nelson, Stapleton, Crow, and Matthews closed with “On the Road Again.” At the end of the set, Nelson delivered his heartfelt thank-you speech to the crowd.
Read his full induction speech below.
Thank all y’all for this great honor. I appreciate the acknowledgment of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, included with so many legends, and some I’m lucky enough to call a friend. It’s been a long ride from my first DJ job to being here with y’all. And as a DJ, I was playing those first songs by Elvis. I remember writers calling that rockabilly rather than rock and roll, and I never did pay much attention to categories, and I’m not sure the fans did either. Folks also like the music I made with my Highwaymen, my brothers. That was fun with [Johnny] Cash and Waylon and Kris Kristofferson. And now that Johnny [Cash] and I’ve been inducted, I want to give a plug for Waylon … and Kris, who sang so many hits, to be inducted too. [Thank you to my band and mife] for keeping me out here doing what I was put here to do. Thank you. Thanks again for including me tonight. And thanks for appreciating my music.
The ceremony was initially broadcast live on Disney+, where it can be replayed. Find more information here.
