Having booked Sheryl Crow, Jamey Johnson, Kacey Musgraves, and Steve Earle (to name a few,) for his 4th of July Picnic here in the Texas Hill Country, Willie Nelson’s annual holiday event drew thousands as expected for its 44th edition, bringing fans, young and old, to their feet to celebrate the man, the music, and America.
In its third year at the Circuit of the Americas racetrack just outside Austin, Texas, the 4th of July lineup drew on many of the artists that have joined Nelson on his recent Outlaw Music Festival Tour. Hayes Carll, Margo Price, and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real performed at the Picnic, with Price and Johnson being return acts from last year’s event. Musgraves, who has collaborated on projects with Nelson previously, made her Picnic debut at this year’s event. Texas singers and musicians were well represented at the event as well, featuring such country icons as Asleep at the Wheel, Billy Joe Shaver, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Johnny Bush. Red Dirt group, the Turnpike Troubadours, also made an appearance, as well as Folk Uke, Insects Vs. Robots (Micah Nelson’s band), and the star’s own granddaughter, Raelyn Nelson together with her band, rounding out the bill.