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.”
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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, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.