Think country music and the Winter Olympics don’t go together? Think again. Sometimes the things that go together the best aren’t what you think of first. Someone had to be brave enough to dip their French fries in their milkshake for the first time, or put a dollop of peanut butter in their chili (people really do that, I know a few sickos). You might not think that winter sports and country music pair well, but they do… and hopefully they have a chance to come together again soon. One of the last times the unlikely combo occurred was way back in 2002 at the Winter Olympics, which were hosted in Salt Lake City, Utah. If you are like me, you’re looking forward to the 2026 Winter Olympics – A.K.A. Milano Cortina 2026. The games are being held in Lombardy and Northeast Italy, and will run from February 6 to the 22. The world’s best winter sport athletes will compete for gold, and there’s a good chance you’ll be on your couch getting your once-every-two-years curling fix. The last time the winter Olympics took place in United States was in 2002, when 77 nations descended upon Salt Lake City. There was some controversy during the 2002 Winter Olympics (some U.S. officials were accused of bribery, and South Korea and Russia thought judging was unfair), which led to some nations threatening to boycott the closing ceremonies. Fortunately, every country that competed in the games ended up attending the closing ceremony, and it’s a good thing they did… because otherwise they would have missed out on seeing the great Willie Nelson perform. And the Red-Headed Stranger’s song choice ended up being somewhat ironic and fitting for all of the controversy that surrounded the games. Willie cued up “Bridge Over Troubled Water” for his portion of the closing ceremony. Nelson kept things simple for the song, as he often does when he’s playing. Theatrics are to be expected during a closing ceremony, yet Willie stood as still as a statue during his performance. Wearing a U.S.A. inspired jacket, a black cowboy hat, and some stylish sneakers (Nelson has always had a way with putting together a functional-yet-fashionable fit), the country music icon slowed down the ceremony and gifted everyone with a beautiful rendition of a song that was originally penned by Simon & Garfunkel in 1970. Check it out: I feel like Willie Nelson has looked like that for the past two decades. Some say that’s the key to aging: looking older when you are younger. Think about it… the Red-Headed Stranger is 68-years-old in that video. Many would say he looked great for his age then, and because he hasn’t looked that much older in recent years, one could argue that he’s looking like he’s in his 60s at the age of 92. I’ve got a feeling I lost you somewhere in that last paragraph… I apologize. Hopefully you at least enjoyed walking down memory lane and seeing the great Willie Nelson perform at the 2002 Winter Olympics. And here’s to hoping that country music returns to the winter Olympics when the games return to Salt Lake City in 2034.The post Salt Lake 2002: Looking Back At The Night Willie Nelson Brought Country Music To The Winter Olympics first appeared on Whiskey Riff.