Willie Nelson — Woodstock 1999
Recorded July 25, 1999
Griffiss Air Force Base — East Stage · Rome · 
United States
Featuring Mike Ness
Setlist
Wrong timestamp?
“To see Willie Nelson open the last Sunday of Woodstock 1999, covering for Al Green's absence.”
Context
On the morning of July 25, 1999, Willie Nelson takes the east stage of a former air base in Rome. Al Green had canceled his appearance, and Nelson moves his set earlier to cover the gap. At 66, he plays a festival dominated by heavy rock.
With the Family, Nelson moves through country, blues and religious music. Bobbie Nelson plays piano, Mickey Raphael takes the harmonica and Jody Payne backs him on guitar. Whiskey River clears the way for Crazy and Night Life. The block of hymns flows into Amazing Grace, with Mike Ness on backing vocals.
The Sunday still ends with fires and riots that come to dominate the festival's memory. Nelson's performance remains preserved in the professional coverage, broadcast on pay-per-view. In 2016, the full recording gets renewed attention in a JamBase retrospective, which highlights the lineup gathered that morning.
- Mike Ness joins Amazing Grace on backing vocals.
Lineup at this show
The lineup of this performance — not necessarily the current one.
- Willie NelsonVocals and acoustic guitar
- Jody PayneGuitar
- Bobbie NelsonPiano
- Bee SpearsBass
- Mickey RaphaelHarmonica
- Billy EnglishPercussion
- Paul EnglishPercussion
- Mike NessguestBacking vocals on Amazing Grace
Trivia
The performance starts earlier than planned and runs longer to cover the cancellation of Al Green, who decides not to fly after the plane crash that killed John F. Kennedy Jr.
Mike Ness joins Amazing Grace on backing vocals.
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