Willie Nelson celebrated his 86th birthday on April 29. A few days earlier, he announced a new album, Ride Me Back Home, which was released on June 21 via Legacy Recordings. (Listen to several tracks below.)
The legend began a lengthy summer tour on May 5, including many dates with Alison Krauss. His annual Outlaw Music Festival is also taking place this summer with such top-notch performers as Robert Plant, Bonnie Raitt, Alison Kraus. (See below for the specific artist lineups.)
Ride Me Back Home was produced by Nelson’s longtime friend/producer Buddy Cannon, the 13th he has produced for the legend in a little over a decade. The album debuts three new songs co-written by the pair: “Come On Time,” “Seven Year Itch” and “One More Song to Write.”
Watch the upbeat “Come on Time”
The title track is a cover of a song co-written by Sonny Throckmorton.
Watch the video for “Ride Me Back Home”
On the new album, Nelson also tackles songs by Billy Joel (“Just the Way You Are”), Mac Davis (“It’s Hard to Be Humble”), and a pair of songs from the late Guy Clark (“Immigrant Eyes” and “My Favorite Picture of You”).
Earlier this year, Nelson’s My Way, his musical homage to Frank Sinatra (and 12th Legacy album), earned the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and became Nelson’s 13th Grammy win.
This year’s Outlaw Music Festival lineup includes Willie Nelson & Family, Phil Lesh & Friends, the Avett Brothers, Alison Krauss, The Revivalists, Counting Crows, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dawes, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, and Steve Earle & the Dukes.
North America’s biggest touring music festival began on June 14. Tickets for the festival and Nelson’s shows are available here.
Each festival tour date also features a unique range of festival attractions including local cuisine, craft beers, and crafts by local artisans to provide music fans a complete experience.
“We had so much fun on the Outlaw Music Festival Tour last year that we couldn’t wait to get back out on the road with everyone,” said Nelson in a March 5 announcement.
The inaugural Outlaw Music Festival made its debut in 2016 in Scranton, PA featuring Willie Nelson & Family, Neil Young + Promise of the Real, Sheryl Crow and others. The sold-out show was so well received that Nelson and Blackbird Presents decided to take their “band of outlaws” on the road as a touring festival in both 2017 and 2018.
Last year, the Outlaw Tour hosted more than 200,000 fans in amphitheaters and arenas all over the country.
Watch a fan clip from 2018
Willie Nelson 2019 Tour Dates (Tickets available here)
Aug 01 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center*
Aug 02 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center*
Aug 03 – Lincoln, NE – Pinewood Bowl Theater*
Aug 05 – Fort Wayne, IN – Allen County War Memorial Coliseum*
Aug 07 – Toledo, OH – Huntington Center*
Aug 09 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena*
Aug 10 – Huntington, WV – Big Sandy Superstore Arena*
Aug 12 – Florence, SC – Florence Civic Center*
Aug 14 – Charlottesville, VA – John Paul Jones Arena*
Aug 16 – Greenville, SC – Bon Secours Wellness Arena*
Aug 17 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum*
Oct 14 – Fresno, CA – The Big Fresno Fair
Oct 18-19, 22-23, 25-26 – Las Vegas, NV – Venetian Theatre
*with Alison Krauss
Outlaw Music Festival 2019 Tour Dates and Lineups
Jun 27 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest
Willie Nelson & Family
Phil Lesh & Friends
The Avett Brothers
Counting Crows
Alison Krauss
Dawes
Trapper Schoepp
Jun 28 – Chicago, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Willie Nelson & Family
Phil Lesh & Friends
The Avett Brothers
Alison Krauss
Old Crow Medicine Show
Dawes
Lissie
Jun 29 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Willie Nelson & Family
Phil Lesh & Friends
Alison Krauss
Old Crow Medicine Show
Dawes
Opener TBD
Jul 3 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
Willie Nelson & Family
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Alison Krauss
Casey Donahew
Steve Earle & The Dukes
Hayes Carll
Colter Wall
Jul 4 – Austin, TX – Austin360 Amphitheater
Willie Nelson & Family
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Alison Krauss
Luke Combs
Jamey Johnson
Steve Earle & The Dukes
Hayes Carll
Colter Wall
And more
Sep 6 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
Willie Nelson & Family
Bonnie Raitt
Alison Krauss
Brothers Osborne
Artists TBA
Sep 7 – Saratoga, NY – SPAC
Willie Nelson & Family
Bonnie Raitt
Alison Krauss
Brothers Osborne
Artists TBA
Sep 11 – Forest Hills, NY – Forest Hills Stadium
Willie Nelson & Family
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Alison Krauss
Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real
Sep 13 – Philadelphia, PA – The Mann Center
Willie Nelson & Family
Bonnie Raitt
Alison Krauss
Gov’t Mule
Artists TBA
Sep 14 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Willie Nelson & Family
Bonnie Raitt
The Avett Brothers
Alison Krauss
Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real
Artists TBA
Sep 15 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park
Willie Nelson & Family
Bonnie Raitt
Alison Krauss
Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real
Artists TBA
Sep 20 – Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
Willie Nelson & Family
Robert Plant & the Sensational Space Shifters
Alison Krauss
Brothers Osborne
Artists TBA
Sep 22 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
Willie Nelson & Family
Luke Combs
Bonnie Raitt
Brothers Osborne
Artists TBA
Related: Listings for 100s of classic rock tours
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