Country music icon Willie Nelson announced big plans for his 90th birthday this summer, revealing a star-studded summer concert tour for events throughout the United States.
Nelson will be joined by the likes of Chris Stapleton, John Fogerty, Margo Price, the Avett brothers, and many more household names in the industry with plans to play at various pavilions, festivals, and other musical venues capitalizing on the warm, sunny weather.
Nelson shared his excitement for the months’-long birthday bash in a statement released to the press.
“I can’t wait to be on the road with the amazing group of artists joining us on this year’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour,” Nelson said in a press release. “It is always a great day of music and fun with family, friends, and the incredible fans, and even more special this year in celebration of my 90th birthday.”
Nelson kicks off his tour with a mid-June appearance in Wisconsin, then travels to the northeast for gigs in New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania before returning to the midwest with a final show in Ohio.
Proving you’re never too old to try something new, Nelson first launched the Outlaw Music Festival in 2016. “Outlaw Music Festival was a one-time event before eventually transitioning to its current annual touring festival,” a message on the ticket site reveals.
It doesn’t hurt having the name Willie Nelson attached to a music event. Both long-time fans and his youngest listeners can enjoy the timeless, unique crooning from one of the all-time greats and fathers of the entire modern country music sound.
"*" indicates required fields
And proving just how much of a headlining power he still possesses, Nelson has solo dates on his busy 2023 calendar ahead of the summer tour. Nelson is performing throughout the country in April and May as a stand-alone event, although he will at times be flanked by other notable names like ZZ Top.
Nelson shared a promotional banner on his official Instagram page, leading fans to drool over the chance to see him again and to see him share the stage with other legends of the music industry.
View this post on Instagram
“On the road again! I’ll never forget seeing Willie at the South Shore Music Circus in the 90s with tickets I won on the radio! Amazing!!!” one commenter wrote.
“My god. Willie Nelson and Robert Plant together. I really wish I were there, my life would have served its purpose,” another added.
It is hard to think the world will ever see another artist like Nelson. Famous for his use and advocacy of certain substances, Nelson helped usher in “outlaw” country when he moved from Nashville to Austin, Texas in the late 1960s. He became a veritable star outside just the genre after the release of several successful albums in the 1970s, and his star only shone brighter after releasing classic hits like “On the road again” in the 1980s.
Nelson joined up with a Who’s Who of country music legends around the same time, performing with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson in the supergroup The Highwaymen.
Nelson was also instrumental in organizing the first Farm Aid concert for American farmers.
One of the most defining features of Nelson is that he’s simply been a tour de force for six decades. Whether it was releasing new music, appearing in films, leading various movements in pop culture, or touring, Nelson has maintained a presence in the lives and minds of fans now leading into his 90th year.
His constance and stamina are unrivaled, as is his authentic way of being which has remained largely unchanged throughout his career.