LIVE OAK, Fla. — In 2000, when Willie Nelson played Wild Adventures Theme Park, he performed on his 67th birthday. At the time, for a man two years past the standard retirement age, Willie showed no signs of slowing down. He played nearly three hours without taking a break, then stood by his bus, backstage, meeting fans and signing autographs for a few more hours.

Now, in his 70s, Willie Nelson travels this weekend to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fla. Willie headlines the first Down on the Suwannee Music Festival. Other performers include Big Kenny of Big & Rich, James Otto, Josh Thompson, and David Cooler.

Those other performers may be many years young than Willie, but from all reports, Nelson hasn’t slowed any.

Often during his concert, Willie makes reference that many years ago he left the stage for a brief break and, when he returned, the audience was gone. So, he takes no breaks as he makes his way through the expected hits such as “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,” “On The Road Again,” “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain,” and the traditional Willie concert opener, and usually the closer too, “Whiskey River.”

But with exception of a few constants — the expected hits, the marathon duration of the show and the playing of “Whiskey River” — fans never know what the song list may contain. Willie Nelson has touched upon numerous musical genres from outlaw country to big-band to reggae beats to covers of almost every type of song and duets from every type of star from the late Waylon Jennings to Kid Rock to Sinead O’Conor to Bob Dylan to Sheryl Crow. You never know.

Several years ago, at one New York City concert, at something to 2 in the morning, according to The New Yorker magazine, Willie Nelson wrapped a set with a cover of the Kermit the Frog song “Why Are There So Many Songs About Rainbows.” Willie had recorded the song for a children’s album. What other artist could play this song and get away with it, at the end of a long night, for an audience of adults. Willie Nelson is the only one who comes to mind.

Also, one never knows if Willie Nelson will or will not greet fans after a show. At some concerts, he climbs aboard one of his Honeysuckle Rose buses and doesn’t open the door; at others, he spends hours meeting fans, signing autographs, asking how they are doing while posing for photographs. He is legendary for these meet-and-greets, seeming to know his fans as well as they know him.

So, if you’ve never seen a Willie Nelson concert, expect a great show, expect to hear the hits as well as songs you did not expect to hear and some new ones too.

SHOWTIME

Willie Nelson plays as part of the Down on the Suwannee Music Festival. Nelson is scheduled to play Saturday night. More information on times, tickets, etc, visit www.musicliveshere.com