The Killers Double Dip From Willie Nelson’s Catalog At ACL Fest

The Killers delivered a headlining set at Austin City Limits Music Festival on Sunday at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. The rockers nodded to Texas legend Willie Nelson with a cover of “Whiskey River” and more.

The Killers kicked off their set with “Whiskey River.” Originally written by Johnny Bush and Paul Stroud, the song appears on Willie Nelson’s landmark 1974 album Shotgun Willie. The record was released the same year Nelson filmed the pilot episode for Austin City Limits.

The Killers’ fitting cover of “Whiskey River” at ACL Fest featured renowned blues musician and longtime Austin resident Guy Forsyth adding the song’s iconic harmonica originally performed by longtime Willie Nelson & The Family Band member Mickey Raphael.

The Killers also pulled another number from the Willie catalog out at ACL, “Always On My Mind.” The title track off Nelson’s 1982 album of the same name, “You Were Always On My Mind” was originally released in 1972 by Gwen McCrae, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

Additionally, The Killers loaded the set with favorites from their catalog including “Somebody Told Me,” “When You Were Young,” “All These Things That I’ve Done,” and “Shot At The Night.” The main set came to a close with “Smile Like You Mean It.”

The Killers returned to encore with two more standouts, “Spaceman” and their signature song and classic closer “Mr. Brightside.” The latter contained a callback to “All These Things That I’ve Done.”

Watch The Killers full ACL Fest set below:

The Killers return to Zilker Park this weekend for round two of ACL Fest.