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From the moment he stepped on the stage at Red Butte Garden on Thursday, country legend Willie Nelson had the sold-out crowd standing on its feet and singing along to almost every song.

So it may be musical blasphemy to complain that the show only lasted 70 minutes, and Nelson talk-singed several of his well-known songs.

After decades in the business, and dozens of music and songwriting awards, we'll cut the 83-year-old Nelson some slack and just be happy to check his name off our concert bucket list.

Opening the show with his standard "Whiskey River," he moved quickly into "Still is Still Moving" and "Beer for My Horses."

He offered sing-along favorites, "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" and "On the Road Again." And softened things up with "Always On My Mind" and "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground."

The set honored old friends with "It's All Going to Pot," his duet with Merle Haggard, and "Good Hearted Woman," a Waylon Jenning's classic. Later he sneaked in Tom T. Hall's "Shoeshine Man."

Nelson showed his humorous side by telling the crowd, "Here's a gospel song," and then breaking into "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die."

And you can count on a bit of American patriotism from the Red Headed Stranger. "Here's a song, I'd like to sing for you. I think it's appropriate for this time," he said, starting in to "Living in the Promised Land."

While Nelson can't quite hit certain notes these days — although maybe he never did — the legend gets a boost from his talented band, that includes "Little Sister" Bobbie Nelson, his older sister, on the grand piano.

Together they brought some toe-tapping fun to "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and the final song of the night, "I Saw the Light."