Legends Unite: See Carrie Underwood and Willie Nelson’s Backstage Encounter In Atlanta
“Having a Willie great time here in Atlanta,” Underwood cleverly captioned the photo.
Willie Nelson, Carrie Underwood; Photo Courtesy of Instagram
Two generations of country music collided over the weekend when country superstar Carrie Underwood had the opportunity to play a show with the legendary Willie Nelson.
Underwood, 40, and Nelson, 90, appeared at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, October 21 for ATLive. The pair had a backstage encounter while visiting the home of the Atlanta Falcons and Underwood documented the moment on Instagram with a clever caption.
ATLive Performances
“Having a Willie great time here in Atlanta,” she wrote alongside a photo of the pair. They appear to be posed together in front of a tour bus while behind the scenes of the venue.
Saturday’s ATLive lineup also included headliner George Strait and special guest Little Big Town. On Friday, ATLive featured a Latin lineup consisting of headliner Grupo Firme, J Balvin, Farruko, and Yahritza Y Su Esencia.
According to Setlist.fm, Nelson’s setlist for ATLive included live performances of some of his biggest hits such as “On The Road Again,” “Bloody Mary Morning,” and “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.”
Meanwhile, Underwood performed “Church Bells,” “Good Girl,” “Blown Away,” and more.
Previously Collaborated
Willie Nelson and Carrie Underwood have history together as they previously teamed up for a duet of “Always On My Mind” for Nelson’s To All The Girls project. The collaborative album, which arrived in 2013 featured Nelson singing duets with a variety of female singers, including Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton, Wynonna Judd, and more.
For their duet, Nelson and Underwood sang “Always On My Mind,” originally recorded by Gwen McCrae and later released by Brenda Lee. Elvis Presley also recorded “Always On My Mind” before Willie Nelson shared his version in 1982.
Of recording “Always On My Mind” with the country music icon, Underwood shared, “It’s just one of those beautiful classic songs that everybody knows and everybody sung and everybody, you know what I mean? So many people have recorded the song and sung the song, and for me to be able to say that, I sang it with Willie Nelson. It’s pretty awesome. Willie has a very distinct voice. You would know it the second you heard him say two words and everything from his look to his music, to his guitar playing to his writing is just very Willie.”
Listen
New Album
Willie Nelson recently released his 151st album, Bluegrass, on September 15. Produced by Buddy Cannon, the project includes 12 classic Willie Nelson recordings that are freshly interpreted by the Country Music Hall of Famer and his bluegrass ensemble.
Las Vegas Residency
After just having released her Denim & Rhinestones (Deluxe Edition), Carrie Underwood is keeping busy with her impressive REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency. She recently wrapped another sold-out run of shows at Resorts World Las Vegas in September and will return to the venue in November and December.
She’s not finished with Las Vegas just yet though. The “Out Of That Truck” singer plans to return to Sin City in 2024 and recently surprised fans with 18 newly added dates.
“Big news for 2024!! I’m so excited to share that REFLECTION will be continuing at Resorts World Theatre next year beginning in March!” Underwood wrote on social media. ”We love performing this show for everyone visiting from all over the world, and if you haven’t seen it yet, come see us!”
Underwood was the very first artist to grace the Resorts World Theatre stage when she made her debut at the 5,000-seat theatre with a sold-out show on Dec. 1, 2021. With several costume changes and state-of-the-art production, REFLECTION quickly became a must-see Las Vegas residency.
“Performing live for an audience is my favorite part of what I do, and I love the idea of giving the audience a show and not just a concert,” Underwood recently shared with Billboard. “We can do things in this production we aren’t able to do out on the road.”
“I have always loved touring and coming to the fans where they are, but it’s great to be in one place and get to perform for audiences from all over the world who are all coming to a city like Vegas to have a great time,” she added. “Of course, at the end of the show, it’s nice just to go up to my room and get to bed!”
Fans can visit Underwood’s official website for a complete list of upcoming shows.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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