Willie Nelson is back on the road.
After weeks of concerns over unspecified health issues, the Country Music and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member returned to the stage for his annual Fourth of July picnic at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, New Jersey, on Thursday.
Artists such as Mavis Staples, Maren Morris, Bob Dylan and many more performed at the event.
Footage of the country icon’s return to the stage was shared on Nelson’s social media pages. The “Always on My Mind” singer exited to cheers from the audience. Nelson waved to the cheering crowd as he made his way to the microphone.
“He’s bbaaacccckkkkk,” the message read.
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Willie Nelson Cancels Outlaw Music Festival Tour Due to Health Concerns
Two weeks ago, Nelson, 91, was reported via his social media as “not feeling well.”
Nelson was ordered to rest on his doctor’s orders, forcing him to cancel performances in Georgia and North Carolina. Another performance in Virginia Beach, Virginia, was also canceled a few days later.
Nelson’s Outlaw Road Show audience members were treated to his band (dubbed Family), his son Lukas Nelson and special guests performing Nelson classics and other songs. Other scheduled acts, including Dylan, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, as well as Celisse, provided entertainment in his absence.
In February, Nelson announced an “unprecedented” lineup that included himself, Dylan, Plant, Krauss, John Mellencamp, Billy Strings, Brittney Spencer, Celisse and Southern Avenue among the bands scheduled to play a run of two dozen dates in North America through October.
“This year’s Outlaw Music Festival tour promises to be the biggest and best yet with this lineup of legendary artists,” Nelson said at the time. “I’m excited to get back on the road with my family and friends to play the music we love for the fans we love.”
Willie Nelson:Country icon cancels Outlaw Music Festival tour due to health reasons
Kate Hudson and Margo Price applaud Willie Nelson’s return to the stage
Nelson’s festival dates have become one of the most important annual tours in North America over the past decade.
Musicians such as Chris Stapleton, Neil Young, Luke Combs, Van Morrison, ZZ Top, Eric Church, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, The Avett Brothers and many more have performed.
Many of these acts celebrated Nelson’s improved health via Instagram comments.
“Yes! This makes my heart so happy. We must protect Willie at all costs,” wrote Margo Price.
Willie Nelson on the road:The singer is expected to return to the Outlaw Music Festival concert tour
Actress and singer Kate Hudson responded to Nelson’s comeback video with a trio of red heart emojis.
In 2023, Nelson was honored with a 90th birthday celebration broadcast by CBS from the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles featuring Nelson, Crow, Stapleton, Beck, Gary Clark Jr., Snoop Dogg, Norah Jones, Miranda Lambert, Dave Matthews, Nelson’s sons Lukas and Micah, Keith Richards, and George Strait.
This is not the first time Nelson has been sidelined due to health issues.
The singer nearly canceled his On the Road Again tour in August 2019 due to a “breathing issue.” After doctors treated the issue a month later, the tour resumed.
Willie Nelson releases new album ‘The Border’
Nelson’s 152nd album, “The Border,” was released by Sony’s Legacy Recordings on May 31.
The album’s lead single, a cover of Rodney Crowell’s 2019 track “The Border,” is written as a tale of the life and times of a Texas border guard. It also features a who’s who of iconic musicians and songwriters, including longtime collaborator Buddy Cannon (“Once Upon a Yesterday,” “What If I’m Out of My Mind,” “Kiss Me When You’re Through,” “How Much Does It Cost,” and “Hank’s Guitar”).
Other collaborators include Larry Cordle and Erin Enderlin (“I Wrote This Song for You”); Crowell and Will Jennings (“Many a Long and Lonesome Highway”); Shawn Camp and Monty Holmes (“Made in Texas”); and Mike Reid (“Nobody Knows Me Like You”).
Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY
