Watch Keith Richards, Merle Haggard, and Jerry Lee Lewis Join Willie Nelson to Perform a Blues Standard

Willie Nelson has been in the music business for nearly 70 years. As a result, he has had plenty of time to make friends across various genres. The 2004 TV special and live album Willie Nelson & Friends: Outlaws & Angels showcased those relationships. The collaborative event recorded at The Wiltern in Los Angeles featured Merle Haggard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Keith Richards, Toots Hibbert, and many more.

The concert special saw Nelson collaborating with other music legends on a variety of songs. Sometimes, these were simple duets between the “Always on My Mind” singer and another A-list artist. Other times, the Red-Headed Stranger would share the stage with multiple legends. For instance, Haggard, Richards, and Lewis joined him for the blues standard “Trouble in Mind” during the set.

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Unfortunately, the all-star performance doesn’t appear on the live album Nelson released following the concert. However, it appeared on the TV special and subsequent DVD release. The video above sees the legendary quartet performing the classic song. Lewis plays piano and shares vocals with Nelson and Haggard. Richards, Nelson, and Haggard share guitar duties on the song. Together, they transform the standard into a blend of classic blues, country, and rock and roll.

Willie Nelson, Keith Richards, Merle Haggard, and Jerry Lee Lewis Transform a Classic

Most of the night saw Willie Nelson teaming up with other artists to perform his songs or other country hits. The tracklist includes “Mama Tried,” “Pancho & Lefty,” “Georgia on a Fast Train,” “On the Road Again,” and many more. However, Nelson, Merle Haggard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Keith Richards went deep into America’s musical history for this one.

Jazz pianist Richard M. Jones wrote “Trouble in Mind” and Thelma La Vizzo recorded the first version of it in 1924. Since then, countless artists have released renditions of the song. Early recordings include Chippie Hill who recorded with Jones and Louis Armstrong, Georgia White, and Dinah Washington. Blues luminary Lightnin’ Hopkins also released a version of the song. However, country fans may have heard Nelson, Haggard, George Jones, Asleep at the Wheel, or Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys put their spins on the classic.

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