Willie Nelson celebrated his 90th birthday in style with Long Story Short: Willie 90, two star-studded concerts at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles over the weekend. The sold-out crowd was treated to an incredible night of music featuring some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.

The show kicked off with a performance by Billy Strings, who played a rousing rendition of “Whiskey River” and “Stay All Night,” both from Nelson’s Shotgun Willie, to get the crowd on their feet. Charley Crockett followed with “The Party’s Over,” setting the tone for a night of heartfelt and emotional performances by artists who have been impacted and inspired by The Red Haired Stranger’s enduring influence, creativity and illustrious life.

Musically throughout the evening, there were plenty of standout moments from the friends Nelson has picked up along the road during his 70 years of performance. Highlights included Particle Kid & Daniel Lanois delivering a haunting rendition of “The Ghost,” Edie Brickell and Charlie Sexton performing a moving version of “Remember Me,” Lyle Lovett bringing the house down with a soulful rendition of “Hello Walls,” and Margo Price and Nathaniel Rateliff’s duet of “I Can Get Off On You.” Beck also rocked The Hollywood Bowl with “Hands on the Wheel,” after which Norah Jones wowed with her performances of “Down Yonder” and “Funny How Time Slips Away.”

Helen Mirren, Owen Wilson, Ethan Hawke, and Jennifer Garner served as rotating emcees throughout the concert, while the house band was led by Don Was and included Nelson’s sons Lukas and Micah.

The collaboration-filled first night also saw Warren Haynes joining in on a rollicking version of “Midnight Rider” and Rosanne Cash teaming up with Kris Kristofferson for a moving performance of “Lovin’ Her Was Easier.” Leon Bridges and Gary Clark Jr. delivered a stunning rendition of “Night Life,” after which the latter shared his original “Texas Flood.” The tender vibrations continued with Lukas Nelson paying tribute to his father with “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.”

As the night went on, the energy in the crowd continued to build. Jack Johnson got everyone singing along with “Willie Got Me Stoned.” Tyler Childers and the Food Stamps performed a moving version of “Healing Hands of Time” and “Time of the Preacher,” and Ziggy Marley got the crowd moving with “Still Is Still Moving to Me.”

Tom Jones brought his signature style to the stage with “Opportunity to Cry,” and Jamey Johnson gave a heartfelt performance of “Live Forever.” Bob Weir kept things rolling with “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” and The Chicks with Keith Sewell brought the crowd to their feet with “Bloody Mary Morning.”

The Lumineers delivered a stunning rendition of “A Song for You,” and Nathaniel Rateliff closed out the evening with “City of New Orleans.” But the night wasn’t over yet. Sturgill Simpson took the stage for “I’d Have to Be Crazy,” and Miranda Lambert got the crowd dancing with “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.”

Chris Stapleton gave a soulful performance of “The Last Thing I Needed” and “Always on My Mind,” and Neil Young and Stephen Stills delivered an unforgettable performance of “Long May You Run” and “For What It’s Worth.”

But the highlight of the first evening for the musicians and concertgoers alike was undoubtedly when Willie Nelson took the stage to perform with his family and friends. He was joined by Lukas, Micah, and Young with POTR for “Are There Any More Real Cowboys,” and George Strait and Nelson shared the stage for “Sing One With Willie” and “Pancho and Lefty.” Snoop Dogg even made an appearance to perform “Roll Me Up” with Nelson, bringing the crowd high up onto their feet.

Finally, Willie closed out the evening with his signature song, “On the Road Again,” before the entire group came back on stage for a sing-along of “Circle Be Unbroken,” “I’ll Fly Away,” “Happy Birthday,” and finally, “It’s Hard to Be Humble.”

Enjoy some videos from the first evening below.

Long Story Short: Willie Nelson’s 90th Birthday Celebration 
The Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles
April 29, 2023

“Whiskey River,” “Stay All Night” (Billy Strings), “The Party’s Over” (Charley Crockett), “The Ghost” (Particle Kid & Daniel Lanois), “Remember Me” (Edie Brickell and Charlie Sexton), “Hello Walls” (Lyle Lovett), “I Can Get Off On You” (Margo Price and Nathaniel Rateliff), “Hands on the Wheel” (Beck), “Down Yonder,” “Funny How Time Slips Away” (Norah Jones), “Midnight Rider” (Warren Haynes), “Lovin’ Her Was Easier” (Rosanne Cash and Kris Kristofferson), “Angles Flying Too Close to the Ground” (Lukas Nelson), “Night Life” (Leon Bridges and Gary Clark Jr.), “Texas Flood” (Gary Clark Jr.), “Willie Got Me Stoned” (Jack Johnson), “Healing Hands of Time,” “Time of the Preacher” (Tyler Childers and the Food Stamps). “Still Is Still Moving to Me” (Ziggy Marley), “Opportunity to Cry” (Tom Jones), “Live Forever” (Jamey Johnson), “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” (Bob Weir), “Bloody Mary Morning” (The Chicks with Keith Sewell), “A Song for You” (The Lumineers), “City of New Orleans” (Nathaniel Rateliff). “I’d Have to Be Crazy” (Sturgill Simpson), “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” (Miranda Lambert), “The Last Thing I Needed,” “Always on My Mind” (Chris Stapleton), “Long May You Run,” “For What It’s Worth” (Neil Young, Stephen Stills with Promise of the Real), “Are There Any More Real Cowboys” (Willie Nelson, Lukas Nelson, Micah Nelson, Neil Young with POTR), “Sing One With Willie,” “Pancho and Lefty” (George Strait and Willie Nelson), “Roll Me Up” (Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson), “On the Road Again” (Willie Nelson), “Circle Be Unbroken,” “I’ll Fly Away,” “Happy Birthday,” “It’s Hard to Be Humble” (Group)