Neil Young opened “Are There Any More Real Cowboys?” at the Hollywood Bowl with a remarkable performance. Willie Nelson then joined him, coming onto the stage with a red, white, and blue guitar strap and a cowboy hat. Over 17,000 people were in attendance when Nelson, who is 90 years old, got everyone up. He finished the duet with Young, much to the joy of the audience, while seated in a chair, a rare concession given his advanced age. As he pretended to be elderly, Nelson said, getting laughter, “I want to thank all the artists who came out tonight to help celebrate whatever it is we’re celebrating.”
At this point, the first of two nights dedicated to paying homage to the legendary country music hero was three hours into its run. The stars of all generations were singing his hits. “As a kid growing up in Texas, it seemed like there was nothing bigger than Willie Nelson,” said Owen Wilson, one of the evening’s emcees along with Helen Mirren, Ethan Hawke, and Jennifer Garner. Wilson’s perspective was certainly shared by many. And there still seems to be nothing greater than Willie Nelson when I look out at the Hollywood Bowl tonight.”
Nelson introduced George Strait for their duet “Sing One With Willie” after Young. Strait then covered the iconic “Pancho and Lefty,” replacing the late Merle Haggard. The evening became more playful when Nelson brought rapper Snoop Dogg onto the stage to perform their stoner hit, “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.” The crowd didn’t mind when the two, who were clearly delighted, forgot the lines from time to time. “Somebody make some noise for the legend Mr. Willie Nelson!” Mid-song, Snoop let out a roar that emphasized the theme of the evening: Nelson’s unified presence.
Nelson became a cherished character who crossed cultural barriers after his return to Texas in the 1970s, according to Owen Wilson. “All of the sudden, it didn’t matter if you were a hillbilly or a hippie, everyone was a Willie Nelson fan,” said Wilson. The varied audience, which included both young people and elderly people, echoed this feeling. There was a strong marijuana aroma in the air, and hippies and cowboy hats mixed together in the aisles.
The Chicks performed a dynamic rendition of “Bloody Mary Morning,” while Miranda Lambert enthralled the audience with “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” In memory of her sister Bobbie Nelson, a veteran pianist, who passed away last year, Norah Jones played “Down Yonder” with great emotion from Nelson’s 1975 album “Red Headed Stranger.”
More quietly, the men on stage proceeded. Lukas, Nelson’s son, sang “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground,” his voice evoking his father’s, and Chris Stapleton gave a thoughtful performance of “Always on My Mind.” Don Was’s house band, which provided backing for almost all of the performances, included harmonica maestro Mickey Raphael, a survivor of Nelson’s Family Band.
A moving performance of “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)” by Nelson’s Highwaymen bandmate Kris Kristofferson, 86, was part of Nelson’s set. With Cash harmonizing with Kristofferson, the song’s writer, a moving scene was produced.
