When have you ever seen so many talented country stars on one stage? The answer is probably never…
Back in 2015, many of country music’s best came together to honor Waylon Jennings for a special live concert in Austin, Texas.
However, the highlight of the night was when all of the performers took the stage together for a star-studded performance of “Luckenbach, Texas.”
I mean, we’re talking about Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Eric Church, Chris Stapleton, Jamey Johnson, Lee Ann Womack, Ryan Bingham, Kacey Musgraves, Sturgill Simpson, Alison Krauss, Toby Keith, and more… yes, more… packed the stage for the once in a lifetime performance, which went on to be featured in a TV special called Outlaw: Celebrating The Music of Waylon Jennings.
We got Ryan Bingham and Jamey Johnson kicking it off, Eric Church messing up the seconds verse after a Toby Keith distraction, followed by Kacey and Toby working together on the latter part of the second verse, and you finish up with whole crew on the chorus.
Just listen to that crowd going crazy.
The entire ensemble featured:
Willie Nelson, Eric Church, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Kacey Musgraves, Ryan Bingham, Jamey Johnson, Toby Keith, Alison Krauss, Lee Ann Womack, Kris Kristofferson, Shooter Jennings, Robert Earl Keen, Buddy Miller, Jessi Colter, and Bobby Bare.
Good luck ever getting that kind of talent on one stage ever again.
Originally written by Chips Moman and Bobby Emmons, the song was pitched to Waylon Jennings ahead of its 1977 release because, wait for it…. his “name was in it.”
And here’s the other kicker, both the writers, nor Waylon had ever even been to Luckenbach when the song was recorded. Waylon would go on to write in his autobiography that he wasn’t particularly fond of the song, but he knew that it was a hit.
Drummer Richie Albright recalls Waylon talking about it in a later recording session:
“Just remind me when I’m picking singles from now on that I got to sing that mf’er every night.”
Ultimately, it would go on to become one of the biggest hits in Waylon’s career, and the studio version featured some background vocals from Willie Nelson as well.
Here’s to Waylon.
