Willie and Billy Bad Santa

Assembly Hall has hosted its fair share of acts over the years, but none like the upcoming show this Saturday, with Billy Bob Thorton and The Boxmasters opening for Willie Nelson. Willie and Billy will be in the same arena this weekend, both veterans of American folk and country styles, and both veterans of the big-screen. These long-time entertainers will be putting on quite a show just for you, CU, so get your tickets quick.
Believe it or not, Willie Nelson has been active in the music community since 1956, and is still going strong. With 10 Grammy’s since 1975, 9 CMA’s, and a plethora of other accolades, Nelson has become an American music idol. His most recent releases were earlier this year, starting with Moment of Forever, followed by a collaboration album with jazz trumpet icon Wynton Marsalis, titled Two Men with the Blues. The compilation album features classic charts like “Georgia On My Mind” and “Bright Lights Big City”. The album slid into the number one spot on the Billboard “Top Jazz Albums” with ease . Even though Moment of Forever was not officially a collaboration album, country king Kenny Chesney and Buddy Cannon played big roles as producers.
Aside from his star-studded musical endeavors, Nelson has also been known and praised by fans and admirers for being an activist. Nelson and others recently formed Willie Nelson Biodiesel, which markets fuel made from vegetable oils to truck stops. He has helped raise thousands of dollars for UNICEF, and for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake, but his most publicized efforts have been his work with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).
Opening for Nelson is Bad Santa himself. Billy Bob Thorton made his long-time dream of being a professional musician late in the 90s . His first album came out in 2001, Private Radio, followed by The Edge of the World in 2003 and Hobo in 2005. He is currently promoting his fourth album, released in 2007, Beautiful Door, as well as a collaboration album he did with The Boxmasters called The Boxmasters. Thorton captures the essence of deep-rooted American country on his albums – a nice compliment to Nelson’s sound for the night of Dec. 6.
So grab yourself a Ben and Jerry’s Willie Nelson Country Peach Cobbler for the ride, rent a Billy Bob Thorton movie for after the concert, and be sure to get to the Assembly Hall Theatre (Expanded, says the website) at 7:30 PM sharp.

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