Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration: release date, performances and everything we know about the CBS special

Willie Nelson turned 90 years old back on April 29, 2023, but fans of the music legend are going to get the chance to celebrate his milestone birthday with a TV special, just a bit late. CBS is airing Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration, a special concert event featuring Nelson and many other celebrity guests. These birthday celebrations have become a trend on TV recently, with icons like Carol Burnett and Norman Lear receiving ones in recent years.

Nelson is a 12-time Grammy winner who is best known for his songs like "On the Road Again," "Always on My Mind," and "Mamma Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys," among others. He has also become a pop culture icon, appearing in various TV shows and movies, and of course, being one of the great proponents of pot culture.

If you're excited to party with Nelson for his belated birthday, here is everything you need to know about Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration.

Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration release date

Though the event was filmed live earlier this year, audiences across the US can watch Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration on Sunday, December 17, at 8:30 pm ET/PT on CBS.

Because of the NFL on CBS schedule, sometimes CBS's Sunday primetime lineup can get a little shuffled, but CBS is slated to air just one game on December 17, which should help ensure that Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration starts on time for east coast viewers (those on the west coast shouldn't have any timing issues).

Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration hosts

A group of celebrity fans and past collaborators are set to serve as the hosts for Willie Nelson's birthday celebration. This includes Jennifer Garner, Chelsea Handler, Woody Harrelson, Ethan Hawke, Helen Mirren and Owen Wilson.

Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration performances

The special was filmed at The Hollywood Bowl, one of Los Angeles' most iconic concert venues, and featured a lineup of performances worthy of the venue and the event.

In addition to Nelson performing, as well as his sons Lukas and Micah Nelson, here is the full list of performances featured on the special:

• Beck

• Gary Clark Jr.

• Sheryl Crow

• Snoop Dogg

• Norah Jones

• Miranda Lambert

• Dave Matthews

• Keith Richards

• George Strait

• Chris Stapleton

How to watch Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration

Airing on CBS, anyone with a traditional pay-TV subscription or a TV antenna can watch Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration on their local CBS station. Live TV streaming services that carry CBS are also going to have the special, such as Fubo, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV.

If you prefer to rely just on streaming services, Paramount Plus is also going to have the special. Those who subscribe to Paramount Plus with Showtime can watch it when it airs on Sunday, December 17, while all Paramount Plus subscribers can watch it on-demand the next day, December 18.