Willie Nelson Celebrated in a Star-Studded Tribute Show

With performances from George Strait,  Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson himself, Willie: Life & Songs of an American Outlaw proved to be an amazing affair.

Country stars flocked together in celebration of the life and legacy of Nelson in a taped concert for television. Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena was the venue of the concert last Saturday, the 12th of January.

The tribute show opened with Chris Stapleton and his hit song “Whiskey River.” The version was soulful and powerful, definitely a welcome rendition from an already classic song. 

Other performers that honored the American Outlaw include Margo Price, Sturgill Simpson, Jimmy Buffet, Jason Isbell, and Eric Church. They performed songs by or popularized by the 85-year-old sensation.

Friends of Nelson also flocked the stage to be a part of the celebration. Stars like Ray Benson, Lyle Lovett, and Bobby Bare all shared stories of Nelson’s character, friendship, and genuine nature before praising his music.

His On-Stage Performance

Nelson didn’t get on stage until just before the intermission. He watched the amazing performances of “Georgia on My Mind,” “Sister’s Coming Home” “Time of the Preacher” and “Shotgun Willie.” 

The performance that took the cake was probably the duet of “Sing One With Willie” by George Strait and Nelson himself. They never shared a stage, which made the duet all the more spectacular. The encores of the performance looked like it was unplanned and spontaneous, but it was amazing to watch nonetheless. Willie: Life & Songs Of An American Outlaw airs later this year on A&E.

Some of the songs that were performed by the outlaw:

“Crazy,” Dave Matthews
“Pancho and Lefty,” Emmylou Harris
“Me and Bobby McGee,” Kris Kristofferson, Eric Church
“The Harder They Come,” Jimmy Buffett
“Always on My Mind,” Chris Stapleton, Derek Trucks
“Song One With Willie,” George Strait
“On the Road Again/May the Circle Be Unbroken/I’ll Fly Away,” full cast
“Roll Me Up and Smoke Me,” full cast