The inaugural edition of the Palomino Festival went down this past weekend at Pasadena’s Brookside at the Rose Bowl venue. Headlined by Kacey Musgraves, we’ve touted the new music festival as one that’s “pushing wonderful boundaries of what can be considered country music.” And while Musgraves presented a pop and country crossover name at the top of the bill, acts like Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit, Orville Peck, Valerie June, and a set from the great Willie Nelson & Family were also there for the one-day affair.
So as Musgraves took the stage for her headlining performance, she didn’t waste the opportunity to bring up the red-headed stranger midway through her set. Nelson emerged from the side of the stage with a cowboy hat on his head and clipped his acoustic to the most ornate guitar strap you’ve ever seen. As the drum beat to “On The Road Again” played, Musgraves said to the audience, “So my actual grandpa is here in the audience tonight from Texas. And my other Grandpa is here tonight from Texas!”
The crowd roared and Nelson opened up his classic tune before being joined by Musgraves for a delightful “On The Road Again” duet. As the song ended, Musgraves and Nelson blew each other a kiss, then Nelson took a bow as Musgraves seemed genuinely dumbstruck at what just happened. “That was it, show’s over,” she joked. Her set pressed on and included a “9 to 5” Dolly Parton cover, “Rainbow,” and the set closing “Slow Burn.”
Watch Kacey Musgraves and Willie Nelson perform “On The Road Again” at Palomino festival above.