'Oh No': Willie Nelson Concert Cancellation Sparks Concern Among Fans

A sudden cancellation and a storm-damaged stage set the tone for a wave of worry from concertgoers and country music loyalists.

The highly anticipated Outlaw Music Festival concert featuring country music icon Willie Nelson, scheduled for July 1, 2025, at the Lucky Star Amphitheater in El Reno, Oklahoma, has been canceled. The announcement, made June 30 via Nelson's official Instagram account, follows severe weather that disrupted the tour's prior stop, damaging vital equipment.

The cancellation of the 10th-anniversary show came just hours after Nelson's team and other artists encountered an unexpected extreme weather event on the evening of June 29 at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri.

Heavy rainfall and high winds forced the evacuation of concertgoers and caused significant damage to the Outlaw Music Festival's equipment and instruments. According to the official post, the impact left the production team with insufficient time to assess or restore what was necessary for the next performance.

Despite efforts to continue the tour uninterrupted, the damaged gear required halting production. Organizers from Blackbird Presents, Lucky Star Amphitheater, and DCF Concerts expressed regret over the disruption, apologizing for the inconvenience and promising refunds to all affected ticket holders. Fortunately, the tour is expected to resume in Austin on July 4.

The announcement quickly drew emotional responses from fans, many of whom shared their disappointment and well wishes in the post's comment section.

One person wrote, "Sorry to hear this." Another added, "Oh no." Some shared their hopes, "Stay safe ❤️." Others encouraged, "Please rest up. Sorry for such horrible conditions for such and [sic] epic festival."

Another fan commented, "I'm deeply sorry to hear. Willie is the very best on earth. I hope all of the equipment will be fixed soon also. My heart is with you. ❤️🙏🏼." Someone else offered comfort, "So sorry to hear this! You are all amazing & bring so much joy to all!!!"

While specifics on the full extent of the damage were not disclosed, a growing number of fans zeroed in on one question: was Trigger, Nelson's iconic guitar, safe?

One netizen asked, "The real question: is Trigger okay?" Another pleaded, "Trigger, if you read this, please let us know you're OK." A fan speculated, "I can't imagine trigger travels with the rest of the normal instruments."

The guitar's iconic status was evident as more fans shared messages like, "God bless trigger! If he made it out of the fire I hope little water will be fine 🙌 [sic]." One person declared, "Hope Trigger is ok!" Another demanded, "THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW IF TRIGGER IS OKAY THO [sic]."

Eventually, Nelson reassured everyone by responding directly in the comment section. "Trigger is marked SAFE from the damage suffered to other instruments and equipment in the MO storm," he wrote.

This guitar, a fixture in Nelson’s career for more than five decades, is a beat-up, deeply worn Martin N-20 that has traveled with him since 1969 and remains an integral part of both his musical identity and personal story.

Trigger, named after Roy Rogers's horse, has become so iconic that it receives its own pre-show spotlight. Longtime guitar technician Tunin' Tom Hawkins once told Rolling Stone that when Trigger is brought onstage, the front row crowds in, cameras ready, to capture it before the performance begins.

Nelson's connection with Trigger began after his previous guitar was destroyed in an accident. After a decade of trying to become successful as a solo artist in Nashville, the country singer wanted to look for one that would sound like the music of Django Reinhardt, one of his musical idols.

Eventually, Shot Jackson helped him locate the "gut-string" instrument, and from that moment, the pair became inseparable. In fact, Trigger has endured nearly as many trials as its owner.

In the same year Nelson purchased the guitar, his home caught fire, but he braved the flames to save it. Eventually, he moved to Texas, where he thrived with his sound.

Trigger has been with him ever since, except for a while during the early 1990s, when the IRS seized many of Nelson's possessions. The country singer had sent the guitar to his daughter Lana, who hid in Hawaii until it was safe.

Now, the guitar bears a large, worn hole from decades of constant play, but Nelson refuses to cover it. "I need a place to put my fingers," he said with a grin while speaking to Rolling Stone.

Despite its battered condition, Trigger continues to serve as his musical companion, weathering the years just as he has. As Nelson once said, "We're both pretty old, got a few scars here and there, but we still manage to make a sound every now and then."

Fans may have missed out on this country music concert, but they gained something else — a renewed appreciation for the resilience of a man and his guitar.