Willie Nelson Returns to Baylor University for Magnolia Field Concert
Willie Nelson returned to baylor university for the first concert at Magnolia Field, 72 years after his last visit to campus. The show brought the Baylor alumnus back to Waco on a warm Central Texas evening, with Magnolia Field hosting a concert for the first time.
Baylor vice president of marketing and communications Jason Cook said the venue was chosen for convenience and because Nelson only does outdoor venues at this point in his career. He said the concert also needed to happen before it got too hot.
Magnolia Field Opens
Lily Meola opened the concert wearing a vintage Baylor letterman and jeans. She sang an Americana version of “Jolene” and closed her set with “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” before Nelson took the stage after a vintage video introduction.
Nelson opened with “Whiskey River” and went on to play “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” and “On the Road Again.” The show featured vocals, harmonica, upright bass, rhythm guitar, steel guitar and percussion, with an enlarged Texas flag hanging behind Nelson and his band.
Jason Cook On Venue Choice
Cook’s explanation points to the practical limits around the booking as much as the setting itself. Magnolia Field had to work as an outdoor site for an artist who, in Cook’s words, is now limited to outdoor venues, and the schedule had to fit before the heat climbed higher.
That made the concert more than a campus performance. It was the first event ever held at Magnolia Field, and Baylor paired the venue choice with a night built around Nelson’s return to his alma mater rather than a routine stop on a tour.
Dan Case At Magnolia Field
Among the attendees was Dan Case, who said, “I remember poker games in college, with longnecks in the dorm, playing Willie Nelson music.” He added, “So he’s just been with us all of our lives.”
Madison Murphy, a Texas A&M University student, also attended and said, “He went to my high school, so it’s just cool to see him.” She added, “I grew up doing country music, and he’s one of my favorite artists.” Nelson later brought Lily Meola back on stage for a duet, giving the first Magnolia Field concert a closing moment that tied the opening act to the headline performer.
