Thanks again, to Janis Tillerson, for more great photos from the Luck Reunion in Texas.
Archive for the ‘Luck Reunion’ Category
Luck Reunion 2018 (March 15, 2018)
Saturday, March 31st, 2018Listen to Willie Nelson and Paula Nelson talk about the Luck Reunion on Sirius/XM Radio
Friday, March 30th, 2018
www.SiriusXM.com
Hear a special two-hour special featuring highlights of the recent Luck Reunion, including Willie Nelson concert & interview, Ray Wylie Hubbard Chapel Session “guitar pull” with Tyler Childers, Cody Canada, Kelly Willis and John Doe and much more.
Click here for info and airtimes: http://blog.siriusxm.com/
Luck Reunion 2018
Friday, March 30th, 2018
www.austinmonthly.com
photos and story by Bryan C. Parker
The juggernaut that is South by Southwest has spawned a number of satellite events beyond the barrage of tours that descend upon and depart from Austin every March. They range from very small—such as Chill Phases, a private gathering of friends and bands on a ranch in Dripping Springs; to medium—such as Israel Nash’s new shindig, From the Hills with Love; to large—like Houston’s brand new In Bloom Festival, a two-day event featuring headliners Beck and Queens of the Stoneage.
None are as iconic as Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion.
As you leave behind the gridlocked roads and the influx of a quarter of a million visitors now wandering from bar to bar from noon to midnight, the skyline of Austin fades in your rear view mirror. The feverish pace of SXSW dissipates along with it, and State Highway 71 carries you into the rolling Hill Country west of the capital city. You’re headed away from faceless strangers to a family reunion—The Family reunion, in fact. At his Luck Ranch, Nelson hosts an annual day of music and festivities on his family estate.
Taking the winding, dirt road off of Bee Creek Road into the heart of the ranch, large white, wooden letters rise out of the scrubby brush on a hillside: LUCK. The front gate might as well be a time portal. Up ahead, stylistically worn wooden buildings line a dusty pathway. To your left, a mass of people crowd around a small white chapel, peering through windows to get a glimpse of the performer playing inside. This is the smallest and most intimate of the event’s four stages. The setting would have you believe a gunslinger in spurs and chaps might pop out any moment, if it weren’t for the plethora of sunglasses-sporting revelers carrying grub from food trucks and plastic cups from the beer garden. However, the space never feels too crowded. By capping tickets, Luck Reunion maintains a relaxed and easy-going pace.
Although it marked only its seventh installment this year, it feels as though the event has rapidly become one of the premier non-SXSW events during Austin’s March festival. Each year, the lineup boasts a little more star-power and also makes sure to include a glut of rising country and indie bands on the bill. The 2018 edition, for example, included Nikki Lane and Nathaniel Rateliff as well as Waxahatchee and Cut Worms. Throughout the day, standout moments came with the bluesy rock of Son Little, the gravelly pop of Hop Along, and the folksy rhythms of Jade Bird.
Emphasizing a warm, friendly environment and billed as a family affair, the event includes performances from Willie’s family members. Leading up to his set, son Micah played with his band Particle Kid, and Lukas led his band Promise of the Real through an explosive set of country rock, replete with wicked guitar solos.
photo: Bryan Parker
With Lukas and Micah in the backing band and Bobbie Nelson, his sister, on piano, Willie took the stage around 10 p.m. to uproarious applause. Spending just brief moments to introduce the band members or thank the crowd, Willie blazed through hit after hit including crowd favorites like “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” and “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys.” This year felt especially ceremonial as Lukas took the lead midway through Willie’s set for a particularly powerful rendition of “Texas Flood.”
The band closed the night by welcoming Nathaniel Rateliff, surprise guest Margo Price, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band onto the stage for rousing versions of “The Eyes of Texas” and “I’ll Fly Away.” A day at Luck Reunion will teach you that music can still be about close-knit communities and time-honored traditions. Good times abound, and while there’s always something see, it’s easy to kick back on a blanket and bask in rays of sunlight and waves of sound.
An Evening With Farm Aid in Luck, Texas (March 14, 2018)
Tuesday, March 27th, 2018
www.FarmAid.org
Farm Aid is lucky to have been invited by Willie and Annie Nelson to host an event at their ranch outside of Austin, Texas.
photo: Suzanne Cordeiro
An Evening with Farm Aid at Luck ,/em. paid tribute to Luck, a fictional western town on Willie’s ranch, and raised funds to support Farm Aid’s work for family farmers. Luck was constructed in the mid-1980s as a set for the film adaptation of Willie’s 1975 album The Red Headed Stranger, and has been given new life in recent years, emerging as the site of the Luck Reunion, an incredible music festival that takes place each March.
photo: Rett Rogers
Willie’s rescued horses grazed in the field behind the stage as Lukas and company ripped through their hits. As the sun set, Willie and Annie and our guests gathered under a large tent in the center of Luck. The tables were set beautifully, designed by our friends at Patina Green with hand-drawn table runners by artist Katherine Keller featuring vegetables, farm animals and inspiring messages about food and farming, and local, farm-fresh flower bouquets from Prickly Pair Farms.
Farm Aid’s Carolyn Mugar welcomed guests and gave thanks for the farmers who raised the food we would enjoy. Carolyn introduced honored guest Bill Witliff, the Austin filmmaker who directed The Red Headed Stranger and wrote and directed the 1984 film Country, which compellingly told the story of the 1980s Farm Crisis that inspired Farm Aid. Carolyn also introduced Austin’s Jim Hightower, former Texas agriculture commissioner, author, activist and storyteller, who shared his thoughts about Farm Aid with the crowd of nearly 250. Everyone gathered joined Hightower in making a toast to Willie for stepping up for family farmers—in 1985 and right up to today.
Then we ate the most creative meal, sourced from local farmers, of course. Our team of chefs inspired raucous dinner conversation with an incredible dinner delivered in compostable takeout boxes that encouraged sharing and passing. During dinner, two guitars, donated by Gibson and Epiphone and autographed by Willie Nelson, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, were auctioned, with the proceeds supporting the work of Farm Aid to keep family farmers thriving.
Filmmaker Bill Witliff chats with Willie and Annie Nelson before dinner. Photo by Rett Rogers.
After dinner, we moved back to the music tent, picking up our carrot cake ice cream sandwich dessert along the way. Next up: a set from Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats before the main event: Willie Nelson & Family. As always, Willie was joined by his sons Micah and Lukas Nelson, and Nathaniel Rateliff joined in for some songs, too!
We are so grateful to the support of our hosts: Willie and Annie Nelson; our artists: Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, and Willie Nelson & Family; our all-around-everything team from Patina Green Home & Market, led by Kaci Lyford; our Texas chefs: Robert Lyford of Patina Green, Ben Runkel of Salt & Time, Diego Galicia & Rico Torres of Mixtli, Dan Casey of Royal Fig Catering and Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar; our generous event supporters: Jennie Garlington, Bonterra Organic Vineyards, BMI, New Belgium Brewing and Willie’s Reserve; our product donors: Farmhouse Delivery, Still Austin, Black Eyed Distilling, Mountain Valley Spring Water, Jester King Brewery and Royal Fig Catering; our photographers: Suzanne Cordeiro and Rett Rogers; and everyone who helped make An Evening with Farm Aid in Luck possible. Good food from family farmers, good music, and good friendship – it’s what it’s all about. As Willie says, “You’re either in Luck or you’re outta Luck.” We are so glad Farm Aid was in Luck last week.
We hope to see you at a future Farm Aid event! Until then, we invite you to learn more about and support our work to keep family farmers on the land and thriving.
Sister Bobbie, Luck Reunion 2018
Saturday, March 24th, 2018
Thank you, Janis Tillerson for your great photos of Sister Bobbie and her many fans and friends and people who want to pay their love and respect, from the Luck Reunion.
Willie Nelson & Family at the Luck Reunion 2018
Friday, March 23rd, 2018
Thanks so much to Gary Duncan for sharing photos from the Luck Reunion, on March 15, 2018.
Luck, Texas at Night
Friday, March 23rd, 2018
Thanks so much to David Duncan for sharing photos from the Luck Reunion at Willie and Annie Nelson’s ranch last week. So magical.
Evening With Farm Aid at Luck, Texas (3/14/2018)
Thursday, March 22nd, 2018
Thanks to Janis Tillerson for her great photos from the special dinner sponsored by Farm Aid, in Luck, Texas before the musical Luck Reunion the following day. Guests were treated to a delicious real food dinner, followed by performances by Willie Nelson and Family and Nathaniel Rateliff. The dinner was a benefit for Farm Aid, and you can learn about their good work at:
www.FarmAid.org
Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion
Thursday, March 22nd, 2018
photo: Gary Miller
www.austinchronicle.com
by: Doug Freeman
The lineup was also notable for reflecting the increasing resurgence of soul in the roots scene, from Gilfillian and the raw, powerful set from Philly’s Son Little to Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats’ penultimate mainstage draw. The latter pulled on the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, who earlier in the evening shook the Revival Tent, to join for a cathartic, horn-blasted romp of “S.O.B.”
Although the Luck Reunion remains a full Nelson Family Band event, with scions Micah Nelson and Lukas Nelson getting mainstage turns and Willie’s headlining set providing the perennial close, the fest has noticeably marked the ascendancy of the latter sibling as torchbearer of the Family ethos. Case in point was his band Promise of the Real’s exceptional set that brought out this year’s special guest and chapel headliner Margo Price for “Find Yourself.” Nelson then stayed onstage for several songs supporting Kurt Vile’s mellow psychedelic jams.
photo: Gary Miller
photo: Gary Miller
That passing of the torch was highlighted in Willie’s own set as well. While the patriarch sounded in fine form, voice as full as it’s been in years, Lukas provided the mid-set climax with “Texas Flood,” smoking the exchange of guitar solos with Asleep at the Wheel bandleader Ray Benson and his father, Pops grinning and laughing as his eldest took the lead.
By the time the stage packed with artists for the last call of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” the Luck Reunion felt as a much a call for the next generation of artists as Willie Nelson’s SXSW day party. That impression cemented with his walking from the stage leaving Lukas leading the final rounds in front of Price, Rateliff, Doe, and the rollicking Preservation Hall horns.
Read entire article, see more photos here.
Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real, “Start to Go” (Luck, Texas) (2018)
Thursday, March 22nd, 2018Hanging out on the Porch at Luck Headquarters
Tuesday, March 20th, 2018
Thanks, Janis from Texas, for sharing photos of the cool, so cool, folks at the Luck reunion.
“You find the cool kids hanging out on the porch at Luck Headquarters.” — Janis
The Luck Journal
Tuesday, March 20th, 2018
www.LuckJournal.com
The Luck Journal is a publication dedicated to the music, food, and culture of Willie Nelson’s Luck, Texas.
Nearly six years ago, some old friends came together to create a new live music experience. At the time we weren’t quite sure what would come of it. All we knew was that we wanted to form a unique space that truly represented the rare breed of rogue musicians who had impacted each of us so deeply: from the no-holds-barred legends who had carried us through our respective life experiences – to the new crop of artists similarly blazing their own paths without compromise.
Then came Luck, TX. Some of us had long regarded Luck and its distinction as a creative gathering place as inspiration for their own industry endeavors. Some had grown up attending Gospel Sundays in the Chapel and trick-or-treating at the World Headquarters. After many late night brainstorms mulling over how to bring our vision to life, we realized we couldn’t do this outside of Luck.
The stars aligned: we were given the key to the location of our dreams. Now it was up to us to make it happen.
In our minds, the only way to celebrate the history of Luck was to revisit what was at the core of its spirit: beyond the fading movie set facades, Luck was a gathering place for creatives to come together to shoot the shit, and inspire one another through song. The ability to give true music lovers the opportunity to bask in Luck’s history for a day, in the presence of incredible artists, was perhaps just as rewarding as reviving the town’s illustrious history.
We just wanted to make cool shit happen. With artists we admired. In a spot that happened to hold a special place in each of our hearts. Over the years we’ve gone through many changes, battled literal storms, and – on more occasions than we’d like to admit – questioned whether or not our little engine was worth the effort. As it turns out, it was.
We’ve since ventured out of Luck with our Luck Sessions series: bringing artists together in intimate settings – from Nashville to Charleston to Dallas – and encouraging them follow the mood of the moment for completely unbridled collaboration while the cameras roll. This initiative marked our first step outside of the Reunion, and we are proud to unlock the full archive of Luck Sessions as part of our next passion project.
With the Luck Journal we aim to create and share truly unique content that epitomizes the Luck Reunion experience: carrying the ethos of Luck beyond the festival gates. Inspired by our headquarters of Luck, the Journal will highlight the amazing musicians, artisans, and chefs who are making a distinctive mark on American roots culture.
The Luck Journal is our love letter to the places and artists that inspire us, and your year-round ticket to the Reunion experience: a trove of never-before-seen footage, artist profiles, backstage content, and more – carefully curated by the crazy, grassroots collective behind it all.
The Luck Family is touched and grateful for the unprecedented support we’ve received over the years, and sincerely hope you will join us in our journey to uncover and share the stories and thoughts of the creators who have so deeply influenced us – as fellow music fans and, ultimately, a little group of friends carrying out our barstool vision.
We thank each of you from the bottom of our hearts, and are thrilled to invite you deeper into our world with the Luck Journal.
Much love,
Luck Reunion 2018
Monday, March 19th, 2018
#LuckReunion
Sunday, March 18th, 2018
www.cmt.com
by: Lauren Tingle
For the last seven years, the only way to see Willie Nelson’s private Luck Ranch in Spicewood, Texas is to score a pass to his Luck Reunion.
One-part family gathering and one-part music festival, Luck Reunion is the only time out of the year when Nelson opens his property to thousands of music lovers for a day of live concerts with good people, good eats and good vibes. The day-long event is held annually during Austin’s South By Southwest conference on the portion of the property that was originally the movie set for his 1986 movie Red Headed Stranger.
The 2018 event was sold-out and hosted 3,000 fans, crew and 35 acts representing all genres who were all very lucky to be there.
Highlights included live blues by rising artist Devon Gilfillian, New Orleans jazz by Preservation Hall Jazz Band, a surprise collaboration by Paul Cauthen and Margo Price on Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty’s “You’re the Reason Our Kids are Ugly” and a full surprise set by Price with the Band Of Heathens at the Luck chapel. Others on the bill included Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Nikki Lane, Kurt Vile and Lily Hiatt.
After canceling a run of shows in February, Nelson, 84, brought the fire for Thursday’s (March 15) all-star headlining set. Throughout his entire performance, there was never a break between songs, giving the crowd of adoring fans the full force of his iconic vocal tremolo and fluid guitar solos on his trusty acoustic, Trigger. Onstage he was backed by his longtime band, including harmonica player, Mickey Raphael, his sons Lukas and Micah Nelson, his sister Bobbie, plus special guests Ray Benson, Price and Rateliff.
The amenities onsite made the entire festival a VIP lounge. Beverages flowed at the festival’s bars featuring Tito’s, Jim Beam, Lagunitas, Hendrick’s, El Silencio and Playa Real. Mountain Valley kept everyone hydrated with stocked water stations. A local food truck court served affordable high-end eats, barbecue and other healthy options. Local artisans and vendors sold funky vintage threads and home décor. A screen printing company sold made-to-order Luck Reunion t-shirts. And in the VIP lounge, a tattoo artist was available for minimalist tattoos for those who wanted to rock their love for Luck in permanent ink. The clothier Maker and Smith also designed custom Luck rings for every artist who performed at the event.
Backstage at 4:20 p.m., select media were invited to a private vinyl listening session of Nelson’s next album, Last Man Standing, on a vintage tour bus that was originally custom-built for Nelson’s drummer, Paul English. As each side played, samplings of Nelson’s new strain of sativa from Willie’s Reserve were passed around, causing exhalations of smoke to billow throughout the cabin. Named after the album, the strain is set to launch when the album releases on April 27 in states where marijuana is legal.
Luck Reunion was put on in partnership with Southwest Airlines. The event was preceded by a welcome dinner and performance by Nelson and Family, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats.
Read article, see more photos here.