Willie Nelson turned his 90th birthday into a star-studded extravaganza, taking over Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl for a two-night concert special on April 29 and 30, 2023.
More than 45 of Nelson’s friends gathered over the two night celebration for what presenter Ethan Hawke called “a celebration of love — love of music, love of storytelling, and love of Willie Nelson… an American icon.”
Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90, A Star-Studded Concert Celebrating Willie’s 90th Birthday included countless performances from Nelson himself, as well as Allison Russell, Beck, Billy Strings, Bobby Weir, Charley Crockett, Edie Brickell, Kacey Musgraves, Leon Bridges, Lukas Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff, Neil Young, Norah Jones, Orville Peck, Particle Kid, Rosanne Cash, Sheryl Crow, Snoop Dogg, Sturgill Simpson, The Avett Brothers, The Lumineers, Tom Jones, Warren Haynes, Ziggy Marley and many more.
“I can’t think of a better way to spend my 90th birthday than being surrounded by family, friends and of course the fans who made this all possible,” Nelson previously said of the event in a press statement. “It’s an honor to perform with such an incredible group of artists at such an iconic venue.”
Billboard was there for the icon’s birthday celebration weekend, and you can check out both our recap of night one here and night two here.
We’ve also compiled some of the best photos from Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90, A Star-Studded Concert Celebrating Willie’s 90th Birthday, which you can look through in our gallery below.
-
Willie Nelson & Keith Richards
Image Credit: Randall Michelson Nelson welcomed Richards for a duet on Billy Joe Shaver’s “Live Forever.”
-
Miranda Lambert
Image Credit: Jay Blakesberg Lambert sang “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.”
-
George Strait & Willie Nelson
Image Credit: Joshua Timmermans Strait and Nelson did a soundcheck together before Saturday’s show.
-
Willie Nelson
Image Credit: Randall Michelson “Happy Birthday to me!” shouted Nelson to the crowd at the Hollywood Bowl.
-
Sheryl Crow & Willie Nelson
Image Credit: Randall Michelson Crow duetted with Nelson on “Far Away Places,” which the two recorded for his 2013 collection All The Girls.
-
Margo Price
Image Credit: Randall Michelson Before Saturday’s show, Price praised Nelson over his advocacy for the use of marijuana and his work with Farm Aid on behalf of family farmers.
-
Woody Harrelson & Willie Nelson
Image Credit: Randall Michelson Harrelson welcomed Nelson for his show-closing set Sunday.
-
Willie Nelson & George Strait
Image Credit: Joshua Timmermans Strait’s set included “Sing One With Willie.”
-
Stephen Stills, Lukas Nelson, Willie Nelson & Neil Young
Image Credit: Jay Blakesberg Young and Nelson revived their 1985 collaboration “Are There Any More Real Cowboys.”
-
Beck
Image Credit: Randall Michelson “I don’t need to tell anyone here that Willie Nelson is the coolest,” said Beck.
-
Snoop Dogg, Lukas Nelson & Willie Nelson
Image Credit: Josh Timmermans for Blackbird Presents Snoop Dogg and Nelson sat alongside each other to sing “Roll Me Up (And Smoke Me When I Die.)”
-
Dave Matthews
Image Credit: Randall Michelson Matthews offered his version of “Funny How Time Slips Away.”
-
Emmylou Harris
Image Credit: Randall Michelson Harris called Nelson “a national treasure.”
-
Helen Mirren
Image Credit: Joshua Timmermans Nelson “simply follows the spirit, whenever the spirit leads,” said Mirren, one of Saturday night’s presenters.
-
Keith Richards
Image Credit: Randall Michelson Richards was Sunday night’s final guest artist.
-
Kris Kristofferson & Norah Jones
Image Credit: Randall Michelson Jones sang a duet with Kristofferson on his classic “Help Me Make It Through The Night.”
-
Willie Nelson
Image Credit: Randall Michelson “Same time tomorrow night?” joked Nelson as the second of the two shows concluded.
-
Shooter Jennings & Lukas Nelson
Image Credit: Randall Michelson Jennings and Lukas Nelson performed “Good-Hearted Woman”