Submitted photoWillie Nelson is scheduled to play Feb. 8, UGA Tifton Conference Center, Tifton.

TIFTON — 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 80s, Willie Nelson is scheduled to play Tifton early next year. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale this Friday, according to Six String Southern Productions.

Often during his concert, Willie makes reference to a time many years ago when he left the stage for a brief break and, when he returned, the audience was gone.

So, even now, 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.”

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. 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.” Nelson had recorded the song for a children’s album.

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.

The only way to know if Willie will meet his fans or not afterward is to go to the show.

Willie Nelson plays 8 p.m., Feb. 8, University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center. A special guest performer will be announced at a later date. Ticket prices starts at $45 in advance this Friday. Advance tickets may be purchased at www.ticketalternative.com; or call (877) 725-8849.