After missing the first seven shows of the Outlaw Musical Festival due to an unspecified illness, Willie Nelson will be returning to the concert stage July 4th in Camden, New Jersey — just across the river from Philadelphia — for his annual Fourth of July Picnic. He will, however, be sitting out Tuesday’s show at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts.
“Willie Nelson is looking forward to seeing everyone in Camden on July 4,” reads a post on Nelson’s Instagram page. “He will not be performing in Mansfield tonight. Bob Dylan, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and Celisse will perform as scheduled. In addition, Lukas Nelson and Family, along with some special guests, will once again play his own set that will include Willie’s classics and other songs.”
Thursday’s Fourth of July Picnic, held outside of Texas for the first time in 14 years, is essentially an expanded version of a typical Outlaw Festival Tour stop where the standard headliners of Nelson, Dylan, Plant and Krauss, and Celisse will be joined by Maren Morris and Mavis Staples.
Lukas Nelson has filled in for his father every night of the Outlaw tour up until this point. Playing alongside harmonica player Mickey Raphael and other members of Willie’s band, Lukas has delivered a set that mixes classics like “On the Road Again,” “Crazy,” and “Funny How Time Slips Away” along with his original compositions, including “Just Outside of Austin” and “Find Yourself.” They were joined by Edie Brickell in Syracuse, New York, and Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi in Alpharetta, Georgia.
The tour comes just four weeks after Lukas announced that his band Promise of the Real was taking a hiatus after 15 years of working together, including numerous tours where they backed Neil Young.
“Lukas plans to keep writing, recording, and playing shows, while the rest of us will continue to pursue our own projects and artistic ambitions,” they wrote in a group statement. “Expect to see a lot more great art from all of us in the near future. We continue to love playing together, and we intend to work together again in the future, both individually and as a group. For now, you can see the band out on the summer 2024 dates. Thanks to all the Realers for your endless support. You’re the best fans in the world. We love you, and we’ll see you down the road.”