Watch Lukas Nelson Honor Ill Father Willie Nelson With ‘On The Road Again’ Featuring Sierra Ferrell

The Outlaw Music Festival has rolled on without headliner Willie Nelson for its first four stops including last night in Virginia Beach. Once again, Lukas Nelson filled in for his ill father and this time was joined by Sierra Ferrell on several numbers towards the end of his set.

Willie Nelson missed the first three shows of the traveling festival “per doctor’s orders” and was “expected to make a quick recovery.” However, the 91-year-old music icon was unable to perform at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater on Wednesday. An announcement noted, “we expect Willie to return to the tour shortly.”

Lukas Nelson has performed sets heavy on songs from Willie’s repertoire as well as cuts from his own catalog with members of the Red Headed Stranger’s Family Band at each 2024 Outlaw Music Festival concert thus far. Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks sat in with Lukas Nelson at the tour opener on Friday, June 21 in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Sierra Ferrell emerged to accompany Willie’s son on Lukas Nelson + POTR’s “Find Yourself.” Ferrell stuck around to help sing Ray Charles’ “Seven Spanish Angels,” the Willie Nelson classic “On The Road Again” and a medley of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” and “I’ll Fly Away.”

Watch fan-shot footage of Lukas Nelson performing “On The Road Again” with Sierra Ferrell and members of The Family Band below:

The Outlaw Music Festival concert in Virginia Beach also included sets by Bob Dylan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and Celisse. The tour continues on Friday, June 28 in Syracuse, New York. No announcement has been made as of press time regarding Willie Nelson’s status for Friday’s show.