Ain’t nothing like a Willie 4th of July
Willie Nelson and Bill Mack
By BILL MACK
Truckers Connection
6/12/2008
Next month, July, is one of my favorite settings of the year. It’s the month set aside for Willie Nelson’s Annual July Fourth Picnic. This year, the shindig will be held in San Antonio. I mention this in order for a bunch of you to make advance plans for the yearly occasion.
Willie Nelson’s Annual July 4th Picnic used to be referred to as a rowdy redneck event that wasn’t fit for man nor beast. To the oh-so-proper, just the thought of being amongst that sweaty, beer drinking crowd, many of them holding strange smelling cigarettes, was a standard invitation for eternal damnation.
There were several towns, including Willie’s old home spot, Abbott, Texas, that absolutely refused to rent or lease territory to accommodate the brawly blowout. The pastors and congregations in various churches often referred to this hell raisin’ Willie Nelson holiday as “the work of the devil!”
On the Sunday preceding July 4th, many of those preachers made it a point to construct their sermons on the subject of Willie Nelson and his heathenish outlaws! Of course, some of those parishioners could be found on the front row, saluting Willie with beer cans, when the opening overture blasted thousands of ears via the mammoth outdoor speakers.
It was rumored that a few preachers might also be found in hidden places in the prickly pastures that served as arenas for those high powered, nothin’ barred, come-as-you-are productions.
I have been a part of countless Willie Nelson picnics, dating back to the early 70s. Most times, I served as one of the emcees. Since Willie and I have been close personal friends for over 40 years, I have often had the honor of introducing him and his “family,” which is always the highlight of the huge gig. In the beginning years, the crowd was especially wild when I stepped to the microphone to “bring on the star-of-the-show.” Constant splashes of beer would soak me, Willie, and all of the Nelson band members. The suds weren’t tossed in anger; it was simply the thing to do when Sir Willie hit the stage. And, to be honest, the beer spraying through the hot evening air sometimes served as a welcomed coolant. It wasn’t uncommon for the temperature to be above 100-degrees during those special events, and it didn’t cool down with the moon.
Besides Willie, there would be many of his well-known friends waiting in the wings, the busses, or the bushes, anxious to pick and sing a few songs. These names included Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Ernest Tubb, Asleep at the Wheel, Roger Miller and many, many others. Since Willie never insulted his friends with a time limit for their performances, several would keep pickin’ and singin’ until they were completely exhausted from the heat.
There were others who reached a grand finale after becoming wheezy from the various drinks that were handed to them by the grateful attendees while they were belting out their tunes or banging away on their guitars. A few of these performers simply fell to floor of the stage from over-indulgence. In these cases, they were picked up by their arms and legs and hauled off stage as the crowd shouted and screamed slurred words of appreciation, anxiously awaiting the next act.
I’ll never forget that July 4th gig held in a cow pasture near Dallas, back in the 70s. This one echoed Willie’s great sense of humor. As I was stepping to the microphone to introduce him, Willie asked me to hold his cigarette while he attached his guitar strap to Trigger. Simply seeing him walk to the microphone lit the fuse. The thousands in the big pasture began screaming and belching: “We want Willie! We want Willie!”
As I stood there, holding Willie’s cigarette, flash bulbs were causing temporary blindness. Among the flashes were camera bulbs belonging to the Dallas Times Herald.
Next day, there it was on the front page of the Herald’s entertainment section: the giant photo of a smiling, innocent Willie, connecting the strap to his old guitar, as I stood by his side, holding a strange cigarette that had been perfectly hand-wrapped.
Connie, Willie’s beautiful wife-at-the-time, had warned me well in advance: “Look out! Willie’s in a fun mood. He’s set to pull a good one on you!”
Allow me to insert this fact. Although the “image” of these Willie fun fests seemed to lean on brawls and blood-bucket danger, this wasn’t the case. Like Woodstock and other outdoor productions that were popular at the time, they were well patrolled by professionals in order to discourage excessive problems. Most of the rowdiness took place on the big stage, and it was done in a wild manner, assuring the thousands of fans there would never be a “dull” moment.
Eventually, all of the major cities were begging for Willie and his July 4th get-togethers. They would bring thousands of visitors from all over the U.S. and several foreign countries.
Obviously, there have been some big changes in the annual Willie Nelson celebrations throughout the years. The crowds are bigger than ever, but more self-controlled. Although he appears to be ageless, the grand host is now 75. Perhaps he feels a bit more grandfatherly. However, the atmosphere is basically the same as it was over 35 years ago. Willie’s giant picnic is presented for one genuine purpose: have fun!
As long as he is able to belt out the opening tune, Whiskey River, to his thousands of adoring followers, the Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnic will continue to be paradise in a pasture.
Recommended: Joe Nick Patoski has written a giant tribute to my good friend: An Epic Life, Willie Nelson (Little, Brown). It consists of over 500 pages of an in-depth study of the perfect entertainer.
Hear Bill Mack daily from Noon until 4:00 p.m. (ET) on XM Satellite Radio. The program is replayed from 8:00 p.m. until Midnight (ET). His book, “Bill Mack’s Memories From The Trenches of Broadcasting” and recordings can be ordered via his Web site: www.billmackcountry.com.