Willie Nelson ‘s annual 4th of July Picnic was super special this year, as it also marked his first performance since a health scare forced him to cancel a string of shows days prior.
On Tuesday, July 2, the Grammy winner’s team took to social media to confirm that the show scheduled in Mansfield, Texas, would not be happening but that he was “looking forward to seeing everyone” at the show on Thursday. A similar message was also posted to his Instagram account ahead of what was supposed to be eight stops at the Outlaw Musical Festival in Alpharetta, Ga., beginning on Friday , June 21, which also revealed that he wouldn’t be taking the stage for health reasons .
“We regret to inform you that Willie Nelson is not feeling well and, per doctor’s orders, has been advised to rest for the next four days,” the statement shared to Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) read at the time.
Fast forward to Independence Day, and fans at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, New Jersey, made it clear that they were grateful for his recovery and cheered extra loud in a video later uploaded to the 91-year-old country crooner ‘s Instagram grid.