Billy Strings delivered a special farewell to Willie Nelson on Sunday by spelling “Thank You Willie” with his setlist on his final night at the traveling Outlaw Festival. The latest stop for Willie’s musical marathon took place at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY and featured performances by Willie Nelson & Family, The Avett Brothers, Larkin Poe, Brittney Spencer, and Particle Kid.
The newly-crowned Americana Music Awards Artist of the Year and his bandmates Billy Failing (banjo), Jarrod Walker (mandolin), Royal Masat (bass), and Alex Hargreaves (fiddle) used the first letter of each song title to send a message to Willie, starting with the opening “Turmoil & Tinfoil”. The quintet utilized an array of originals to craft its note to the Red Headed Stranger, including “Hollow Heart”, “Away From The Mire”, “Nothing’s Working”, and “Know It All”, all in succession.
The first cover arrived with Arlie Duff‘s “Y’all Come” and kicked off a string of tributes with Marty Stuart‘s “Old Mexico” sung by Royal, Bill Monroe‘s “Uncle Pen”, Chris Henry‘s “West Dakota Rose”, and a suspiciously early “If Your Hair Is Too Long, There’s Sin In Your Heart” by Bobby Davidson. Returning to his original canon, Strings ruminated on his “Love & Regret” ahead of the instrumental “Libby Phillips Rag”, Pearl Jam‘s “In Hiding”, and finally “Everything’s The Same”.
Check out fan-shot videos from Billy Strings’ “Thank You Willie” set at Outlaw Festival on Sunday. Outlaw Festival continues on September 23rd at Waterfront Music Pavilion in Camden, NJ. Strings and company will head west for the second-annual Renewal festival in Buena Vista, CO on September 23rd and 24th. Strings recently announced livestreams of both the sold-out performances from nugs.
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Setlist: Billy Strings | Outlaw Festival | Saratoga Performing Arts Center | Saratoga Springs, NY | 9/18/22
Set: Turmoil & Tinfoil, Hollow Heart, Away From The Mire, Nothing’s Working, Know It All, Y’all Come (Arlie Duff), Old Mexico (Marty Stuart), Uncle Pen (Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys), West Dakota Rose (Chris Henry), If Your Hair Is Too Long, There’s Sin In Your Heart (Bobby Davidson), Love & Regret, Libby Phillips Rag, In Hiding (Pearl Jam), Everything’s The Same
Setlist spells “Thank You Willie” on Billy’s final night with the Outlaw Tour.
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