Outlaws & Legends embarks on second decade of outdoor music in Abilene

It'll be like New Year's Day at the Back Porch of Texas this weekend.

You know, out with the old and in with the new.

It's the first time since its first try at its 10th anniversary was knocked by COVID-19 that the pandemic won't be that dark cloud in the sky over the Outlaws & Legends Music Festival. At almost the last minute, the pandemic canceled the 2020 show when crowd sizes were cut to less than 10, and organizers a year ago still were wary of public health.

Still, the 2021 event set a record by topping 15,300 concertgoers each day for a two-day attendance of more than 31,000. It was the first major Texas music festival to be staged coming out of the health crisis.

Some general admission tickets still were for sale this week but limited in number.

Powell said the event has reached its attendance goal. He previously said he did not want the event to grow much larger, setting 15,000 or so as the cap. That's room enough for a big crowd, RV and general parking, and managing the event to run smoothly and safely, he said.

"It's exactly how we wanted it to happen," Powell said of steady growth over the years. "The community and ticket-buyers have cheered us on.

"It's what we want to manage. We didn't want this to be Woodstock, a free-for-all. We wanted to do this with class."

More: Back on the Porch: Outlaws & Legends really will celebrate 10 years of festival music

So, out with the old.

What's new? Plenty.

So, what is new, Mark?

There are new artists in the lineup and, by tradition, new stuff on the Back Porch.

The biggest change concertgoers coming out to the hear the likes of Robert Earl Keen, the duo of Sammy Kershaw and Aaron Tippin, and event founder and host Mark Powell will see is the "sun deck."

It's a metal walkway — 200 feet in length and 10 feet across — that arcs in front of the main stage, from one side to the other at the tree line. It will provide yet another viewing point for guests who pay ($2,000) for a "suite" on the walkway, which is painted chocolate brown to match other ironwork at the site.

Powell is proud of his "sun deck," which his wife, Meredith, named. She did not like his idea to call it "the big brown walkway."

It was an idea that sprang up in mid-January during talks with dance floor sponsor Taylor Electric. It was completed within the past week and just painted. It will be a great way to post sponsorship signage and Edison-style lighting, Powell said, but not obscure viewing for others down below.

Also new is the removal of turf infield in front of the stage and pouring concrete and adding limestone tops to the low wall that borders the stage.

The result is that the venue in northwest Abilene near Disability Resources Inc. that became the Outlaws permanent home for the third event in the series looks spruced up but not at the expense of losing its down-home charm.

There was room for a few more RVs, so capacity was increased to 480. All but a few spaces are gone, and they were to move in starting Thursday.

Speaking of Thursday, a pre-event sound check by Powell and his band has turned into a sponsor event that will include Zane Williams and The Wilder Blue. It's now a "Sound Check Party."

And one more thing. When the music ends at 11 p.m. outdoors, it's just starting indoors.

The after-show jam sessions have evolved into events at the metal tipi, southwest of the main stage. Kevin Fowler, who has made a second home at Outlaws, will be there Friday. Whitey Morgan and Kendall Marvel, who has opened for Chris Stapleton, will be there Saturday.

The 11th music event begins Friday with Hayden Haddock on stage at 2 p.m. Kershaw and Tippin, who performed at the Taylor County Coliseum during their heydays in the 1990s, headline that evening.

Saturday's music slate begins with Shane Terrell & the Stumblers at 11 a.m., followed by the Outlaws debut of Cross Plains' own Ariel Hutchins at 11:45 a.m.

Fan keen on Robert Earl

On Saturday, following Powell's early evening gig, is Keen's farewell to Abilene show.

The longtime popular Texas-based artist announced his retirement and hinted to Powell that he'd like to perform at Outlaws before he unplugs for good.

His hits include "The Road Goes on Forever," "Corpus Christi Bay," "Amarillo Highway," "Levelland" and "Feelin' Good Again."

Last year, in describing the sound of Kevin Costner's band, Powell said it was "kind of folk and roots-style country ... in the vein of Robert Earl."

This weekend, REK is in person.

Keen played the 2014 show, and was last in Abilene in August 2018 for the West Texas Rehabilitation Center's summer dinner show.

Field of dreams

Powell is ready to move forward after two years of working through the pandemic.

For the 10th anniversary show, Powell landed Willie Nelson, but canceled his appearance before the event itself was called off. Nelson still was not performing publicly in 2021.

In his place last year, Powell brought in actor Costner, who fronts the band Modern West. The current star of TV's "Yellowstone" electrified the Friday night crowd. Images of his movies and TV shows were shown on the overhead screen, firing up the crowd.

Powell said Costner, who had told him that playing Outlaws was a bucket list item, was equally thrilled at the reception.

"He told me, 'Man, that was a shot in the arm,'" Powell said, adding that he has met only two entertainers with true star power: George Strait, and Costner.

Keeping it unique

While perhaps many in attendance were not familiar with Modern West or even knew that Costner could sing and play the guitar, his appearance fit with Powell's goal to make Outlaws & Legends unique by bringing in "novelty" acts.

"But they had better be good," he said.

He believes he struck gold when he booked Leon Russell, not your mainstream country artist, for the fourth festival. That was the same year that Keen played here. Powell remembers Keen offering to refund his fee if Powell didn't make him follow Russell's superb performance.

It was a memorable night for music fans. Russell died two years later.

This year, Powell is bringing in the Reverend Horton Heat, who plays in the heat of the day Saturday, at 3:15 p.m. And recent chilly weather will heat up to the upper 80s Saturday.

The Reverend, also known as James C. Heath, is called the godfather of psychobilly. Psychobilly is defined as a mix of rock with elements of punk rock, rockabilly and other genres.

Not your typical country music act. Like Kentucky Headhunters.

More: Heading back to Abilene: Kentucky Headhunters have stayed true to southern upbringing

But Outlaws doesn't want to be a typical country music festival.

Powell has another goal – keep it fresh. He has had some artists, such as Texas faves Ray Wylie Hubbard and Gary P. Nunn, who have played there multiple times. Fowler is back this year, but not on the main stage.

Powell wants to avoid duplicating the Billy Bob's Texas list of touring artists. Kershaw, Tippin, the Headhunters and Jack Ingram haven't been this way in a while.

Brent Cobb, the early evening act Friday, is a newcomer, recommended to him by Leanne Womack when she played the Fest in 2017.

"This year, I got who I wanted," Powell said of the 20 acts he booked.

Sticking with it

Powell has enjoyed adding to the Back Porch over the years but admits that was a scary commitment during the pandemic.

The upgrade investment was substantial and once you're in, he said, you're in.

But after missing out in 2020, it was "Let's roll" last March.

He said fans stuck with festival, "grateful," Powell said, to get back outdoors and hear live music.

Greg Jaklewicz is editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and general columnist. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.

How to be an Outlaw (or Legend)

What: Outlaws & Legends Music Festival

Where: Back Porch of Texas, 3350 N. Clack St. Venue is located on the west side of U.S. Highway 277, south of Disability Resources Inc.

When: Gates open at 1 p.m. Friday for general admission and VIPs. Music concludes at 11 p.m. Gates opens at 11 a.m. Saturday for general admission and VIPs. Music concludes at 11 p.m.

Artist lineup:

FRIDAY

2 p.m. - Hayden Haddock

3:15 p.m. - Chad Cooke Band

4:30 p.m. - The Steel Woods

6 p.m. - Kentucky Headhunters

7:30 p.m. - Brent Cobb

9:30 p.m. - Sammy Kershaw and Aaron Tippin

SATURDAY

11 a.m. - Shane Terrell & the Stumblers

11:45 a.m. - Ariel Hutchins

12:45 p.m. - Dallas Moore

2 p.m. - Micky & the Motorcars

3:15 p.m. - Reverend Horton Heat

4:30 p.m. - Band of Heathens

6 p.m. - Jack Ingram

7:30 p.m. - Mark Powell

9:30 p.m. - Robert Earl Keen

Tickets: Some general admission tickets are available at outlawsandlegends.com. Cost in advance is $85, plus fee. Price will be higher at the gate, if tickets are available.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Outlaws & Legends embarks on second decade of outdoor music in Abilene