All-Star House Band Led by Grammy Award-Winning Music Director Don Was Set for Willie Nelson’s 90th Birthday Event

All-star house band Led by Grammy Award-winning Music Director, Don Was will join the lineup for Long Story Shot: Willie Nelson 90, A Star-Studded Concert Celebrating Willie’s 90th Birthday. 

The highly anticipated affair is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, April 29 – 30, 2023, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California. The birthday extravaganza marks one of the year’s most significant events, as it will include more than 45 once-in-a-lifetime performances and mind-blowing collaborations. 

The all-star house band is comprised of Audley Freed, Benmont Tench, Gabe Witcher, Greg Leisz, Mickey Raphael, Terence Higgins, Tom Bukovac, Alfreda McCrary, Ann McCrary, and Regina McCrary. The gifted group will display its musical excellence alongside Was, a world-renowned producer and vital asset to the entertainment industry.

Don Was, born Don Edward Fagenson, has scored four Grammy Awards and was Producer of The Year in 1994. He was the mastermind behind multiple Bonnie Raitt records, including Nick of Time and the Rolling Stones’Stones’ 2016 collection Blue and Lonesome. Was also hosted a weekly Sirius XM radio show on their Outlaw Country channel from 2009 to 2012, called The Motor City Hayride. This is not the first time the former Was (Not Was) member honored Nelson, as he led the house band at the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2015, where Nelson was a recipient. 

The two-night special will also include performances from ­the man of honor, Willie Nelson, Allison Russell, Beck, Billy Strings, Bobby Weir, Booker T. Jones, Buddy Cannon, Charley Crockett, Chris Stapleton, Daniel Lanois, Dave Matthews, Dwight Yoakam, Edie Brickell, Emmylou Harris, Gary Clark Jr., George Strait, Jack Johnson, Jamey Johnson, Kris Kristofferson, Leon Bridges, Lily Meola, Lukas Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Margo Price, Miranda Lambert, Nathaniel Rateliff, Neil Young, Norah Jones, Orville Peck, Particle Kid, Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, Sheryl Crow, Shooter Jennings, Snoop Dogg, Stephen Stills, Sturgill Simpson, The Avett Brothers, The Chicks, The Lumineers, Tom Jones, Tyler Childers, Warren Haynes, Waylon Payne, and Ziggy Marley.

Presenters at the shows include Chelsea Handler, Ethan Hawke, Gabriel Iglesias, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Garner, Owen Wilson, and Woody Harrelson.

Hitmakers George Strait, Snoop Dogg, Miranda Lambert, Norah Jones, Sheryl Crow, Dave Matthews, Tom Jones, The Chicks, Chris Stapleton, and more will serve as presenters. Longtime friend and collaborator Kacey Musgraves was initially on the bill but recently pulled out. The reason remains unknown. 

The celebration won’t be available to stream. Ticket-holders are encouraged to arrive early, as the musicians will take the spotlight on time and stick to a tight schedule each night. The birthday bash is produced by Blackbird Presents, Hewitt Silva, and Live Nation. 

Nelson will turn 90 on April 29. The legend was born in Abbott—a tiny town not far from Dallas, in 1993. Throughout his seven-decade career, the “Beer For My Horses” singer has become one of the most influential voices in music history. The global sensation remains true to his artistry. He previously received four nominations at the 2023 GRAMMY Awards, dropped multiple albums, and continued appearing at distinguished events nationwide on his Outlaw Music Festival Tour. 

Photo by Rick Kern/WireImage