Willie Nelson to play auditorium April 6

We were always on his mind.

Music legend Willie Nelson will play April 6 at the IU Auditorium.

Nelson, a 79-year-old country music icon, has been renowned for an extensive solo career and membership of the “Highwaymen” supergroup featuring Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings.

“I can’t wait,” IU Auditorium Associate Director Maria Talbert said. “We at the Auditorium are very excited to be hosting Willie Nelson again. He was here in 2004 and put on an amazing show for the community. We are looking forward to another great night.”

The performance, billed as Willie Nelson and Family, will feature cuts from his upcoming album “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” planned for release April 16.
Nelson’s six-decade career spans 200 albums, including hit singles “On the Road Again” and the breakthrough hit “Crazy,” which he performed with Patsy Cline.

Fittingly enough, Nelson’s performance at the auditorium will happen near the campus statue of Hoagy Carmichael — Nelson recorded a cover of Carmichael’s famed song
“Stardust.”

With expectations of a large ticket demand, the auditorium will start ticket sales with a lottery system 9 a.m. Friday.

“People can show up to the Auditorium in person starting at nine,” Talbert said. “They don’t need to come any earlier. We do the lottery system to keep people from lining up
overnight.”

Tickets for the one-night performance go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through the auditorium website, box office and all Ticketmaster locations.

Ticket costs range from $39 to $75.

—Jeff LaFave