Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic is known for crafting iconic moments.
The annual concert has taken place in some form or another since 1973 after Willie Nelson was inspired to host the yearly event. It only took one year off in 2020, and I’m sure you can figure out why that was the case. But it got started back up in 2021 and has been going strong ever since.
In its early years, the concert was plagued with safety and security issues, but that never stopped those in attendance from having a good time. Nor did it stop those who were performing from letting loose – maybe a little too loose. And it’s well documented that Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings – especially when they were together – liked to partake in a number of different “performance enhancers.”
There’s no telling what Nelson and Jennings got into before this performance of “Jambalaya (On The Bayou)” at Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic in 1974. And on the flip side, there’s definitely some telling that they are under the influence of something, as you’ll be able to tell when you fire up the video below.
Though I will say, it didn’t affect the two outlaw icons all that much. They were still able to belt out this Hank Williams classic (originally released in 1952). And they weren’t alone in bringing the raucous cover to life either. Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson were joined by Leon Russell, Doug Kershaw, and Richie Albright up on stage during the performance.
All in all, it’s one hell of a rendition of “Jambalaya (On The Bayou),” and it’s great to see two of the most legendary names in country music sharing a microphone – presumably after they shared a bottle of something back stage.
Check it out: