Lyle Lovett, Erich Church, Sam Hunt, and Elle King are set to pay tribute to Willie Nelson.
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The four acts will perform in honor of Nelson when he is bestowed with the LBJ Liberty & Justice For All Award by the LBJ Foundation at a gala event on May 12 in his home state of Texas. Nelson is in esteemed company, as past recipients include President George H. W. Bush, President Jimmy Carter, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and civil rights leader John Lewis. The event will take place at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas.
The award was established in 2010 with the mission of celebrating “the spirit of President Johnson’s commitment to public service and access and equality for all Americans,” according to the LBJ Foundation. “Willie Nelson is a deserving recipient. Throughout his career, Willie has remained passionately committed to using his musical talent to assist people affected by natural disasters, to address global food insecurity, and to support sustainable agriculture.”
“It’s a reflection of Willie’s impactful legacy that these extraordinary artists will be paying tribute to him,” Larry Temple, chairman of the LBJ Foundation Board of Trustees, says in a press release. “We couldn’t be happier with how the evening is shaping up.”
Proceeds from the gala will go toward the Willie Nelson Endowment for Uplifting Rural Communities at The University of Texas Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs in an effort to fund research and student fellowships. Proceeds will aid research that focuses on environmentally conscious initiatives such as sustainable agriculture and water, energy efficiency and elevating hunger in rural and farming communities.
Nelson has been a longtime advocate for the environment and rural communities, as he is the co-founder of Farm Aid alongside John Mellencamp and Neil Young, an organization that helps farmers across the U.S. Since 1985. The annual Farm Aid benefit concert has raised more than $70 million for family farms.
Photo Credit: Anthony D’Angi/Courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media
