CALIFORNIA ROCK NEWS

Last night July 12th Country legend Willie Nelson played the Pacific
Amphitheater at the OC Fair for the first time since 2018. Last time
Allison Krauss was the opening act and this time it was rising country
artist Caroline Grace. In 2017 John Stamos was in the audience and
Jessica Simpson guested with Nelson. Joining Nelson and his band this
show was Booker T. Jones (The MG’s) on keyboard, Greenday drummer Tre
Cool, and Stamos on percussion. Stamos had played the Hollywood Bowl
for the 4th of July shows with the Beach Boys just a week earlier.
Nelson’s Outlaw festival had stopped at the Hollywood Bowl in 2024 and
2025 and on July 9th, 2022 Nelson had played Palomino Festival at the
Rose Bowl. Nelson just turned 93 April 29th and still continues to
tour. Before Nelson and his band took the stage a giant American flag
came down (last time Texas flag). Nelson played a 20-song set around
an hour beginning with Johnny Bush’s “Whisky River” and included
classics like “On The Road Again,” “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I
Die,” and his famous covers  of  Gwen McRae’s “Georgia (On My Mind),”
Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee.” Grace and her band joined
in for the finale of William MacEwan’s “”Will the Circle Be Undone?”
and Rev J.M. Gates “I’ll Fly Away.”

Willie Nelson is not only a musical artist, but is also an actor,
political activist, a business owner, and most importantly a true
American icon. For over 6 decades, Willie has been a staple of country
music going back to an era with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Merle
Haggard, and Kris Kristofferson. Since 1962 WillieNelson has released
more than 70 albums and is a multiple Grammy Winner, CMA winner,  and
the first artist to receive the CMA Lifetime Achievement award. There
were three Outlaw Festival dates during 4th of July weekend in Texas
and resumes next August 18th in MO and ends in NY August 30th.