Willie Nelson headlined a rainy May 3 at Gentilly | Photo by Kim Welsh

Willie Nelson, Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow heading to New Orleans for Outlaw Music Festival

Willie Nelson & Family, The Avett Brothers (who recently cancelled a gig at the Saenger Theatre), Sheryl Crow and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real will perform when the first stop of the Outlaw Country Music Festival Tour heads to the New Orleans area this summer. Slated for Saturday, July 1, the event will take place at the Shrine on Airline in Metairie, which is better known as the home of he New Orleans Baby Cakes.

The inaugural tour is a spin-off of last year’s Outlaw Music Festival, a gathering that brought Willie Nelson & Family, Neil Young + Promise of the Real, Sheryl Crow, Chris Robinson Brotherhood and more to Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA for a single day of music. The upcoming tour will feature a variety of artists in addition to those at the New Orleans stop, with Bob Dylan, My Morning Jacket, Jason Isbell and others joining the fray for select dates. Like most festivals, each event will offer local cuisine, craft beer and wares from local artisans in addition to the music.

“We had such a blast launching and playing last year’s Outlaw Music Festival in Scranton, we had to take it out on the road this summer,” says Willie Nelson.

Tickets for the Outlaw Music Festival will go on sale to the general public at 10am on Friday, April 21.