Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic Lineup for 2019
For the fifth year in a row, Willie Nelson’s annual 4th of July Picnic will be held at the Circuit of the Americas speedway just south of Austin, TX, and will include many long-standing invitees and Nelson family members in the lineup, as well as other special guests. The initial lineup for the nearly 50-year-old event has just been announced, with more names coming.
The 2019 lineup will include headliners Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Alison Krauss, and Jamey Johnson, with surging mainstream country music star Luke Combs filling the slot regularly given to a major label performer. Picnic regulars like Ray Wylie Hubbard, Johnny Bush, and Billy Joe Shaver will also play, as will members of Willie Nelson’s family in the form of Folk Uke and the Raelyn Nelson Band. Up-and-coming artists include Colter Wall, and the Casey Kristofferson Band fronted by the daughter of Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge. Country legend Gene Watson will also perform.
We’ll have to make sure a fist fight doesn’t break out between Steve Earle and Hayes Carll (kidding, of course), seeing how a couple of years ago Hayes Carll sang a song at the 4th of July Picnic to clap back at Earle, who was also performing on the day . Hayes is now engaged to Earle’s former wife, Alison Moorer, and Steve Earle once said Hayes was a “younger, skinnier, less talented singer-songwriter” than himself. Good news is both artists also recently played Willie’s Luck Reunion during SXSW, and it didn’t come to blows.
The tradition of the Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnics started with the Dripping Springs Reunion in 1973 (not held on the 4th, incidentally), with the idea of putting together a “Hillbilly Woodstock.” The Dripping Springs reunion featured Bill Monroe, Buck Owens, Charlie Rich, Dottie West, Roger Miller, Loretta Lynn, right beside Willie, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson. Over the years the picnics have gone on to feature artists forgotten by Nashville, and up-and-comers right beside big name talent. Many years the picnic was a losing propositions financially, but Willie’s commitment that has kept them going.
Also interesting to note that this year’s 4th of July Picnic poster is a play off the 7th Willie Nelson picnic held 40 years ago in 1979 (see below). Ray Wylie Hubbard played both years.
Tickets will go on sale Friday, April 5th at 10 AM via TicketBastard.
April 1, 2019 @ 7:02 pm
Can you imagine going to the ’74 picnic!! Wasn’t ’76 the real wild one though?
As for this year, I’ll pass. The lineup is a little sleepy for my taste.
April 5, 2019 @ 6:39 pm
Because they don’t have any nascent talent and they’ve bought the koolaid, so sad.
April 1, 2019 @ 9:29 pm
I did go to the ’74 picnic and the ’76 picnic! They were both awesome, but the ’76 picnic was by far the biggest and best of all, as far as I know. The ’76 pcnic was like a Woodstock. Not sure of the total in attendance, but the three day event had a plethora of musicians, top notch bands from country and rock. I used to have the poster, until some chick I was living with, stole it when we parted ways. It was unbelievable! I was all of sixteen. We got a good spot just right center of the stage and pitched camp. After indulging a little too much, I stetched out for a nap on an army cot. When I awoke there were two gorgeous ladies with nothing on but hats and boots, stepping over my cot! I thought I had died and gone to heaven! Back to the concert, Willie opened up each morning with a country preacher, who would pray for everyone’s safety and well being. Willie would close it each night by jamming with whom ever the last band played that evening. It was at his ranch in Gonzales, Texas. I remember Willie, Waylon, Leon Russell, The Band, Bob Dylan Revue, ZZ Top, Joan Baez, and many many more. Absolutely the best concert that I ever attended and I have been to over 400 total, over 100 I have seen Willie, most recently last year in Omaha, NE and looking forward to The Outlaw Festival coming to St. Louis on June 29. Out of the many thousands in attendance at the ’76 picnic from all walks of life, even with the rough conditions of pre modern restrooms, showers, and the Texas heat, I did not see one solitary fight or assault of any kind the entire weekend. The seventies were the best concerts and music I think there ever was! God Bless Willie Nelson!
June 21, 2019 @ 5:19 pm
Bob,
AMEN to your post! As a 15yr old kid I went to Farm Aid 2 in Manor TEXAS in 1986! We took 1 case of keystone beer in milk jugs into the festival and the rest is history! Whether it was friends being thrown in jail in El Campo TX ( for reasons I can’t explain) or camping at Luckenbach during the 90’s or checking out Farm Aid in Bristow, VA in 2016….. The story is still the same. Everyone LOVES Willie Nelson. I am taking my 16 yr old daughter to her 3rd Willie show at the Outlaw Festival in Dallas on 7/3/19! I wonder where your poster is these days?- lol
June 25, 2019 @ 8:14 am
Bob, I was at the ’76 concert with my girlfriend. We had a blast. As you know, the music was great, with many A-list acts. To answer your question, one site notes a spike in attendance to 80,000 that bicentennial year; On the downside, it was HOT and the area around the Porta-potties was muddy. People were mellow and well behaved. I’m glad we arrived early and got a good spot. I would go back to that concert in an instant — one of the all time bests.
April 1, 2019 @ 9:32 pm
Damn no god country comes to Chicago. I’ve got 2 country stations and both are crap. Sounds like one hell of a show though.
April 2, 2019 @ 3:55 am
Keepin it Country, I’ve seen Willie Nelson 3 times in the Chicago suburbs and once in Champaign, the late June Carter Cash in Berwyn, and the late Johnny Paycheck in a theater next door to the building that houses my office in downtown Chicago. Whitey Morgan is in the area at least once a year, and there’s overly big pop country series of shows every summer in Tinley Park, Wrigley, and Soldier Field.
April 2, 2019 @ 10:16 am
Glendel I’m sure what he meant to say is no good Country fests like the one we’re talking about with Willie headlining come here. Tinley Park isn’t really a fest. Tailgates And Tallboys is in Peoria and doesn’t really count for Chicago. Everybody that tours nationally comes through here regularly except Cody Jinks. The list for just the last 2 years is too long to recite here. Yep, Willie, Whitey, and many many more come here all the time. Booking agents know Chicago is GOLD, and people support all of it. Good and bad.
April 1, 2019 @ 9:33 pm
I meant good
April 1, 2019 @ 10:57 pm
you meant god, all good.
April 2, 2019 @ 1:09 am
I wish I could be there. We love you Willie!!!
April 2, 2019 @ 5:02 am
The Highwomen made their debut last night and were pretty incredible together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdFCMZx9h5M
April 2, 2019 @ 6:44 am
Nice glasses.
April 2, 2019 @ 7:33 am
Lordy, yea.
April 2, 2019 @ 9:09 am
What glasses?
April 2, 2019 @ 7:32 am
See a lot of people talking about them today. They stole the show it seems.
April 2, 2019 @ 2:37 pm
Thanks for sharing, Boots. I guess I need to familiarize myself with Natalie Hemby, because I could not figure out who she was until I read the video description. I know her name comes up in songwriting discussions, but I’ve never heard her perform until now.
April 2, 2019 @ 5:24 pm
Oh, Natalie is an incredible singer and songwriter.. you definitely need to listen to her album Puxico.. it’s a work of art. And if you wanna hear her live, this is a great quality set to start with…
https://youtu.be/z-H2d4o1iNQ
Happy listening!
April 2, 2019 @ 6:04 pm
Review here:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/album-review-natalie-hembys-puxico/
April 2, 2019 @ 8:10 pm
Well, I’m a dummy. I remember reading Trigger’s review for that album some time back. I know I liked “Cairo, Illinois” and “Ferris Wheel”, but I don’t think I ever listened beyond those two songs.
April 2, 2019 @ 2:39 pm
Wow. They sound great!
April 3, 2019 @ 9:35 pm
Highwomen?
That’s funny!
April 2, 2019 @ 5:20 am
I’ve only been to one 4th deal- I’ve seen Willie in concert with multiple artist multiple times though- the one 4th celebration? I went to was in The Woodlands- it was ok- all the supporting efforts were good and I probably would never have seen them other wise- Deena Carter, Dwight Yoakum, Jerry Jeff- are the ones I remember. Dwight was by far the best this night. Willie came on too late- I left to avoid the drunks in the inevitable traffic jam.
I prefer smaller less rowdy venues.
April 2, 2019 @ 5:33 am
I saw Willie at Farm Aid years ago. He was good, but I had to sit through Sheryl Crow and Dave Matthews.
April 2, 2019 @ 6:34 am
Both great artists.
April 2, 2019 @ 6:38 am
Not for this cowboy.
April 2, 2019 @ 7:31 am
That’s fair, but i couldn’t imagine just listening to country and nothing but country. You do you, though.
April 2, 2019 @ 7:33 am
I was just listening to Megadeth, and Eric Carmen before that.
April 2, 2019 @ 7:43 am
Is this country?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQlKa1IeZF8
April 2, 2019 @ 11:23 am
I apologize, I misunderstood your “not for this cowboy“ to mean something that it obviously didn’t. I’m also down with Mustaine and the Raspberries
April 2, 2019 @ 10:21 am
Looking forward to it!
April 5, 2019 @ 7:04 pm
How do you call yourself a writer if you never check your facts? I am not married to Hayes. We are engaged. I am not Steve’s former love interest, we were married and we have a child. Hayes did not change any lyrics to any song, he rather wrote an original tune that he played at the picnic two years ago. Please either stop, or get it right. You have no idea how frustrating these sorts of mistakes are for those to whom you refer. Thanks!
April 5, 2019 @ 8:45 pm
Hey Allison (if this is indeed you),
Thanks for the clarifications. Frankly I’m not boned up on the personal lives of many artists. I thought “former love interest” fairly qualified the relationship with Earle, and I thought you were married to Carll, but I stand corrected. Those few sentences were just meant in good-natured fun, which both Carll and Earle have engaged in publicly, and I thought it was an interesting footnote. That said, if I was in your shoes, I would want to make sure everything was straight, if it had to be broached at all (which it didn’t) so I completely understand. Again, sorry for the confusion, and thanks for the clarification, and the music over the years.
April 6, 2019 @ 6:37 am
Hi Trigger.
Thank you for your reply. So if you’re not “boned up,” please refrain from printing erroneous information. There’s no need for the perpetuation of what was, for anyone involved, not a great moment. I understand people may think it’s funny to refer to the slur that started the whole stupid mess, but it simply isn’t. It was rather the sad, clinging gasp of someone who’ll do most anything to get above the fold, and when the dust settled, that was abundantly clear.
I don’t make a habit of reading about these things, but a lot of people do. And when they’re brought to my attention, and facts are misrepresented, then that’s my life, my son’s life, and my fiancé’s life (and work) you’re slinging around. I know you have an audience to entertain, but surely you can do it without the repetition of something that should’ve died long ago.
Thanks for listening, and thanks for understanding.
Allison
April 7, 2019 @ 9:28 am
Everyone should BOYCOTT Willie Nelson for endorsing Francis Beto O Rourke…
April 7, 2019 @ 9:34 am
You political assholes need to stop dive bombing this comments section, and the only reason I’m approving this comment is to let you and everyone else know your shit is getting deleted. This is a political free zone where we respect artists and music regardless of political affiliation. If you’re just now figuring out that Willie Nelson is a Democrat, jokes on you. Who gives a shit who he votes for? He’s a country music legend, and should be respected by people from all sides of the political divide.
December 11, 2019 @ 1:47 am
Is there any info about the 2020 4th of July Picnic? Cost? Times? I’ve heard about this event over the years and would like to attend. My friend’s sister lives in Austin so I’ve got a place to stay. I’m coming from Las Vegas where I’ve seen Willie and Family perform many times back in the ’80s and early ’90s My ‘companion’ was a stage hand at Caesars Palace where he played often and I got to see the show from back stage (as long as I stayed ‘out of the way’). Band members would just put down instruments and walk off stage to get a beer ofrom the big garbage cans full of ice and beer then go back to on stage and continue playing! You never knew how long a show would last. If Willie was in a really good mood and enjoying himself he’d play for 2 hours or more. A ‘normal’ show was about an hour and a half.
After the last show on Saturday nights (2-3 AM), Willie and his crew and the Caesar’s stage crew+spouses would all meet at Sunset Park a few miles south of the Strip (park security would turn on the lights) and we’d all play soft ball until dawn! Great Fun!