Willie Nelson has been in some iconic duos and teams throughout his long and storied career. His musical partnership with Waylon Jennings is legendary. He was one-fourth of the Highwaymen. Nelson even joined Merle Haggard for six collaborative albums. He has also shared the stage with a laundry list of artists including Kacey Musgraves, Billy Strings, Charley Crockett, and countless others. At this year’s Luck Reunion in Texas, Nelson shared the stage with the one and only Kermit the Frog for a rendition of “Rainbow Connection.”
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Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher co-wrote “Rainbow Connection” for The Muppet Movie (1979). Jim Henson performed it as Kermit in the film. The song went on to land at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.
[RELATED: Remember When: Kacey Musgraves Joined Willie Nelson for a Duet of “Rainbow Connection”?]
Several artists have covered “Rainbow Connection” since its initial release. After years of urging from his daughter Amy, Nelson recorded his rendition of the song and made it the title track of his 2001 album. More recently, Nelson and Musgraves performed the song together at the 2019 CMA Awards. Their collaboration is, indeed, memorable. However, the Red-Headed Stranger’s pairing with Kermit might be more iconic. Watch it below.
Willie Nelson and Kermit Sing “Rainbow Connection
Nelson allowed Kermit to take the lead during their performance. The Muppet kicked things off with his banjo before singing the first verse and chorus. Then, Nelson took over for the second verse as the little green guy continued to strum his banjo. Finally, they came together to share vocal duties on the song’s second chorus.
Nelson ended the song with a short guitar solo on Trigger. Then, he and Kermit shared a short conversation before the show moved on. “I think they liked it,” Nelson said, adding, “I think we finally found the connection.”
Kermit agreed, saying, “That’s right we sure did.” Then, he thanked Nelson for sharing the stage with him and called out the country legend’s band to take his place.
The crowd at Luck Reunion seemed to enjoy the performance. They cheered as Kermit started the song. Then, their pairing on the chorus elicited a few loud whoops from the crowd.
Featured Image by Mike Coppola/WireImage
