Photo Credit: Stuart Levine

Willie Nelson invited some assistance during the totality of his Hollywood Bowl stand earlier this week, July 31. During the concert, the outlaw country troubadour invited The Doors’ John Densmore on percussion throughout the event. The guest drummer posted about his appearance prior to the event with an image showcasing added Outlaw Music Festival talent and choice words.

The concert commenced with a cover of Johnny Bush’s “Whiskey River,” which flowed into a trio of Nelson-penned follow-ups, amongst them “Still Is Still Moving to Me.” To cap “I Never Cared for You,” the ensemble went with a Particle Kid pull, allowing Nelson’s son to flex his solo catalog before the onset of fan favorite “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” 

“Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” and follow-up “On the Road Again” arrived ahead of another heap of covers. To match the unique nature of the night, with added beats from Densmore, Nelson brought out another guest, this time Lily Meola, to assist with “Will You Remember Mine.” Returning to their standard formation, the staged players covered “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” “I’ll Fly Away,” and lastly, Mac Davis’ “It’s Hard to Be Humble.” 

In a 2020 interview, Densmore described Nelson as a backstage comic, retelling one of the artist’s favored lines: “What’s a guitar player without his instrument? Homeless!” The percussionist also referred to Nelson as one of his mentors in the aforementioned social post outlining their intentions to perform during Wednesday night’s concert. See below.