Willie Nelson Plans 44th Annual Fourth of July Picnic
With summer approaching, that means two big events are just around the corner: the Fourth of July and Willie Nelson's annual Fourth of July Picnic! The country icon has announced the details for the 2017 iteration of the event, his 44th annual Fourth of July Picnic.
In 2017, Nelson's Fourth of July Picnic will be held, for the third year in a row, at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas; the four-decade tradition will welcome dozens of artists to perform in celebration of America's birthday in front of thousands of music-loving fans. Joining Nelson and his Family Band at the 2017 Fourth of July Picnic, as reported by Austin 360, are Sheryl Crow, Kacey Musgraves, Jamey Johnson, Steve Earle, Margo Price, Asleep at the Wheel, the Turnpike Troubadours, Hayes Carll, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Johnny Bush, Billy Joe Shaver and David Allan Coe. Making it a family affair, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real (featuring Nelson's son Lukas), Insects vs. Robots (featuring Nelson's son Micah), the Raelyn Nelson Band (featuring Nelson's granddaughter) and Folk Uke (featuring some of Nelson's extended family members) will also be taking the stage.
“I got the idea from Woodstock about how music could bring people from different places together,” Nelson says of the inspiration for his annual picnic. “I had just moved to Austin and had come to realize what a great music center it was and could be.”
Tickets for the 2017 Fourth of July Picnic will go on sale on April 21 and range in price from $39.50 to $89.50. Fans looking to buy tickets can do so on the venue's website or by calling 800-745-3000 once they go on sale.
Nelson also recently pulled together an all-star lineup for the second annual Outlaw Music Festival. This year, the festival is going on tour, and joining the Red Headed Stranger for six shows over two weeks is a genre-defying roster of artists, including Jason Isbell, Bob Dylan and a host of other well-known names. More information about the tour can be found on the festival's website.
Making 2017 an even busier year for Nelson, the singer-songwriter will release a new album, God’s Problem Child, on April 28, just one day before his 84th birthday. The album will be available on CD, vinyl and digitally; more information on fan product offerings can be found on Pledge Music.
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