Review: Willie Nelson's San Diego concert defined, not defied, the passing of time. He turns 91 on April 29

But it didn't take too long before he and his band found their collective groove on a cold, damp night. It was then that he began elevating anew such oft-heard Nelson gems as "Always On My Mind," "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground," "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die" and "Write Your Own Songs," his memorably wry 1984 riposte to skill-deficient music business executives.

Nelson was similarly engaged during his wonderfully endearing versions of Hank Williams' "Move It On Over" and Ed and Patsy Bruce's "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." Both found many in the audience happily singing along. The only major miscue came with the brassy version of the Champs' 1958 instrumental hit, "Tequila," after Nelson left the stage. It was a curious and mood-breaking conclusion to what was otherwise a fairly well-paced performance.

He and his band came on Monday after a rousing opening set by Asleep at the Wheel, which injected fresh vigor into such chestnuts as "San Antonio Rose," "Route 66," Red River Valley" and "Hot Rod Lincoln."

As an added bonus, the band's former drummer — Coronado native David Sanger — was very ably performing again with the group Monday night. His three-decade tenure in Asleep at the Wheel had concluded in 2021 after the group's 50th anniversary tour.

"I took the ferry back to my family's home after the show," Austin resident Sanger said Tuesday. "My brother could hear us playing from the Coronado house we grew up in! It was a rare treat for me to play with the band back in my hometown."

Asleep at the Wheel first opened a concert for Nelson back in 1973, the same year his ace harmonica player, Mickey Raphael, joined the group. That was 17 years before Nelson's son, Micah — now a much-valued musical mainstay in his legendary dad's band — was born.

The six-man group also now includes singer/guitarist Waylon Payne, whose father, Jody, was a longtime member of Nelson's band. Guitarist and singer Ray Benson, the leader of Asleep at the Wheel, sat in for all of Nelson's set and his jazzy guitar filigrees added welcome new dimension to the music.

Unsurprisingly, Nelson' 61-minute concert included a version of Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia."

It's a classic that has long been synonymous with Nelson's name, thanks to his mellifluous delivery and oh-so-supple phrasing. His reading of it Monday was a bit uneven. But when Nelson connected with certain key lines — including "in peaceful dreams I see" and the thrice-repeated "on my mind" at "Georgia's" conclusion, it was a potent reminder of how a master craftsman, in his waning years, can still strike gold on any given night.