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USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Willie Nelson cancels Outlaw Music Festival concert after 'extreme weather event'
Willie Nelson and his Outlaw Music Festival will have to wait a beat for their Sooner State debut. The country singer's long-running festival, which also features fellow music icon Bob Dylan, was forced to cancel its July 1 concert at the Lucky Star Amphitheater in El Reno, Oklahoma, "due to unforeseeable circumstances," according to a June 30 announcement on Nelson's social media pages. The Grammy-winning Americana band The Mavericks and New Zealand-based country singer-songwriter Tami Neilson were also set to perform on the Oklahoma tour stop. The cancellation comes after the festival encountered "an extreme weather event" on Sunday, June 29, at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri. The severe storms produced heavy rains and high winds, forcing the crowd to evacuate. 'I hated to lose him': Willie Nelson speaks out on bandmate Kris Kristofferson's death Much of the Outlaw Music Festival's equipment and musicians' instruments were damaged and waterlogged in the stormy weather, "making their condition difficult to assess in time to accurately and safely use" for the Oklahoma show, per the cancellation notice. "The potential damage has halted the festival production as they recover and replace what's necessary for the tour to resume," the post stated. "Blackbird Presents, Lucky Star Amphitheater, and DCF Concerts are disappointed to have to cancel the engagement and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this cancellation may cause." Refunds for the July 1 concert will be issued to the point of purchase, according to the announcement. Ticketholders are asked to allow seven to 10 business days for the refund to appear on their credit card statements. Willie Nelson concertgoers forced to evacuate in Missouri amid extreme storms Winds reached up to 80 mph during the June 29 storms in Missouri, according to the Springfield News-Leader, part of the USA TODAY Network. A 20-year-old woman was reportedly killed in a neighborhood southwest of Springfield after a large tree was blown over on top of her vehicle. Taney County Sheriff Brad Daniels told the publication that minor injuries were reported at the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena from tents in the high winds. According to social media posts, the venue was evacuated due to the severe weather at about 5:15 p.m., and the Outlaw Music Festival date was postponed at about 6:50 p.m. All previously purchased tickets will be honored once the new date is announced for the Missouri show, according to the announcements. The tour is set to resume Friday, July 4, at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin, Texas, as Nelson's Outlaw Music Festival converges with the Country Music Hall of Famer's annual Fourth of July Picnic and Fireworks. Willie Nelson's musical patriotism: Singer returns to the stage with Fourth of July Picnic after health concerns What is the Outlaw Music Festival? Nelson launched the Outlaw Music Festival in 2016 as a one-off event in Scranton, Pennsylvania, before taking the concept on the road the following year. Dylan was among the artists on the inaugural Outlaw fest tour, and the 2016 Nobel Prize winner rejoined the tour this year after the Oscar-nominated 2024 biopic "A Complete Unknown" renewed interest in his music. As it celebrates its impending 10th anniversary, the Outlaw Music Festival is billed as "a hallmark of authentic Americana music" that has developed into one of North America's largest annual touring franchises. Still led by Nelson, the festival unites music legends with contemporary superstars to celebrate the outlaw spirit and genre-defying music. 10 bingeable memoirs to check out: Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyoncé The 2025 tour is the largest Outlaw trek to date, with the lineup including Nelson and his family, Dylan, Sheryl Crow, The Mavericks, Neilson, Billy Strings and The Red Clay Strays. Other featured acts include Turnpike Troubadours, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, The Avett Brothers, Wilco, Lake Street Dive, Waxahatchee, Charles Wesley Godwin, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, Trampled by Turtles, Sierra Hull, Willow Avalon, Waylon Payne, Madeline Edwards, Lily Meola and Myron Elkins. The tour launched May 13 at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix and is scheduled to make more than 30 stops across 20-plus states before wrapping up Sept. 19 at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin.
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa basketball announces class of 2025 guard signing
Iowa basketball announces class of 2025 guard signing Iowa basketball announced the signing of Oklahoma guard Tate Sage on Thursday. The 6-foot-7, 200-pound guard hails from Weatherford, Oklahoma, and represents the Hawkeyes' second high school signing in the 2025 class under first-year head coach Ben McCollum. 'Tate is exactly what we need for the future of Iowa basketball,' McCollum said. 'He's 6-foot-7, 6-8, can shoot, drive, do a variety of things and guard multiple positions. He is also a winner. We're excited to have Tate be a Hawkeye.' Sage announced his commitment to Iowa on April 30, following coach McCollum over to Iowa after initially signing with Drake. The Sooner State product averaged 13.1 points per game as he helped lead Weatherford to the 2025 Class 4A state championship in Oklahoma. Sage earned Oklahoma Coaches Association Large West All-State recognition and was named to The Oklahoman's Class 4A All-State team. During Sage's Weatherford career, the Eagles made four straight state tournament appearances, including four state semifinal trips, three trips to the state championship game and a pair of state runner-up finishes in addition to their 2025 state championship. Sage averaged 11 points, 4.4 rebounds and four assists per game as a junior. His twin brother, Ethan, is committed to play basketball at Pittsburgh State in Kansas. Sage joins center Trevin Jirak of Valley High School in West Des Moines as one of Iowa's high school signees. Jirak averaged 16.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 59.2% from the field, 38.6% from 3-point range, and 71.2% from the free-throw line during his senior season. That duo joins forward Cooper Koch and Jacob Koch, Drake transfers Bennett Stirtz, Kael Combs, Isaia Howard, Tavion Banks and Cam Manyawu, Kansas State transfer Brendan Hausen and Robert Morris transfer Alvaro Folgueiras among the Hawkeyes' current 11. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF
