Willie Nelson commemorated his 92nd birthday by bringing the Outlaw Music Festival to Riverbend Music Center on an idyllic summer day. This annual celebration of country and Americana music, led by Nelson and his band with rotating artists as part of each tour stop’s lineup since 2016, has continued onward since then to become an all-encompassing musical experience that brings people from various genres together to share in his legacy.
This year marks Bob Dylan’s debut appearance with the Outlaws throughout their entire tour run, joining Robert Plant & Alison Krauss on their first leg and John Mellencamp on their second. Additionally Billy Strings, Brittney Spencer Celisse and Southern Avenue will make appearances throughout.
This tour marks a return for Nelson and Blackbird Presents since their initial festival debut in Scranton back in 2016. Following that inaugural show’s success, Nelson, Blackbird Presents and their team decided to turn it into an annual touring affair, hosting shows throughout summer 2018. He uses it as an avenue to bring together his favorite musicians from old and new – Grateful Dead alumni Bobby Weir and Wolf Bros featuring Wolf Pack jam bands String Cheese Incident and Los Lobos have joined him, plus folk singer-songwriter Bonnie Raittt as well as Grateful Dead alumni Phil Lesh & Friends (to name just some examples of which past events have all participated).
Last night in Columbus, the Outlaw show kicked off with Myron Elkins’ bluesy country rock as the opening act. Elkins is an ideal opening act as his song “Myron” is dedicated to Texas music legend Myron Elkins who died years ago and shows how musicians share deep emotional ties when performing live together.
Myron had just finished performing the final chorus of his song, when a fan who had been present since the show started approached him and started crying; apparently his normal response to touching songs. It was an unforgettable moment which illustrated just how profoundly this festival has affected people from across America.
After his set, Myron met up with many in the crowd and took pictures with many, taking great joy in thanking everyone who attended for making his show such a success.
Outlaw Music Festival shows are set for September 17 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY; other dates through October are also scheduled, including an appearance in NYC on September 24. Check the full schedule and ticket info here.