5 Songs Willie Nelson Will Never Stop Performing Live

Willie Nelson will probably tour until the end of his life. He’s one of the most famous country stars in history and has always loved being “on the road again”, especially with his musical family in tow. And based on his setlists throughout his decades-long career, Willie Nelson will probably never stop performing the following five songs.

1. “Whiskey River”

According to setlist.fm, Willie Nelson has played quite a few hits on repeat throughout his career, and he’ll likely never stop performing them until the end. “Whiskey River” is his most-performed song from this setlists, having been performed by the country superstar over 1,245 times.

“Whiskey River” comes from Nelson’s 1973 album Shotgun Willie. It’s one of his most popular songs to date, and definitely one of his personal favorites for live sets.

2. “On The Road Again”

When it comes to songs Willie Nelson will never stop performing, this one is a given. When one thinks of Willie Nelson, one always thinks of “On The Road Again”. This hit 1980  song was part of Nelson’s beloved album Honeysuckle Rose. Nelson famously wrote the song on the back of a barf bag.

Interesting origins aside, it’s Nelson’s most iconic song. “On The Road Again” seems to be close to Nelson’s heart, considering it’s an anthem and dedication to his love of traveling and performing music. And he’s performed it live over 1,035 times. It’s one of his favorite closing/encore songs, too.

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3. “Always On My Mind”

Nelson has performed “You Were Always On My Mind” 921 times as of 2024. It’s one of his most tender ballads and a standout track from the 1982 album of the same name. It even snagged the country star a Grammy in 1982. 

Nelson didn’t pen this tune; it was originally written by Mark James, Johnny Christopher, and Wayne Carson. However, he did put his own unique spin on the song. We’d be bold enough to say it’s one of the most famous country covers of all time.

4. “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys”

Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings were two peas in a pod. They recorded so much music together, one of which was the 1978 hit “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys”. This song is a cover of an Ed and Patsy Bruce tune and appears on the duet album Waylon & Willie.

Nelson loved to bust this one out at his live shows, mainly because it’s so fun to sing along to. As of 2024, he’s performed it almost 900 times.

5. “Good Hearted Woman”

Nelson and Jennings also co-wrote this stellar 1971 song. “Good Hearted Woman” was the title track of Jennings’ 1971 album of the same name. However, Nelson performs it constantly as if it were his own; though it partly is. He has performed it at his live shows more than 848 times.

Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images

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