Willie Nelson Returns to Baylor! Don’t Miss the Texas Music Legend in Concert May 14 at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark

For the first time since he attended Baylor University in 1954, legendary Texas country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson is coming home to his alma mater on Thursday, May 14, for an outdoor “Willie Nelson & Family” concert at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark.

Gates will open May 14 at 6 p.m. at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark, with the concert beginning at 7:30 p.m.

“Seventy-two years after Willie Nelson walked our campus as a Baylor student, I am thrilled this Texas legend will finally take the stage at his alma mater for a once-in-a-lifetime concert event along the banks of the Brazos River,” said Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. “There’s long been a rumor that Willie had been ‘banned’ from campus, but we are not aware of any such ban. I look forward to welcoming Willie home to Baylor and Central Texas, along with his Family, his fellow Baylor Bears and the Waco community for a momentous concert event at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark.”

Top live entertainment in Waco, Texas

Willie Nelson joins the ever-growing catalogue of A-list entertainers playing at Baylor University venues, bringing live entertainment, excitement and energy to Waco’s Brazos Riverfront – with more exciting announcements ahead!

Baylor’s Foster Pavilion got the concert ball rolling in 2025 with performances by top Christian artists Forrest Frank and Lauren Daigle, comedy legend Jeff Dunham and rising country star Tucker Wetmore, with the World Famous Harlem Globetrotters making a stop in February 2026 on their 100-Year Tour. 

And Foster Pavilion isn’t done yet! Skyrocketing Texas country artist Hudson Westbrook, with special guest Tyce Delk, will take the stage on Friday, April 24, followed by chart-topping norteña bands La Fiera de Ojinaga and Los Pescadores del Río Conchos on tap on Sunday, July 19.

Over the past year, Baylor’s McLane Stadium has emerged as a top venue for stadium shows and major live events, from the City of Waco’s Fourth on the Brazos to the sold-out Boys from Oklahoma Texas Encore, co-headlined by Cross Canadian Ragweed and Turnpike Troubadours, to its upcoming – and biggest show yet – with Post Malone and Jelly Roll Present: The BIG Stadium Tour Part 2 on Sunday, May 19. In addition, the outdoor plaza of the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center has welcomed country stars Bailey Zimmerman and Ty Myers for Baylor’s new fall tradition, “Howdy at the Hurd.”

Waco Hall on the Baylor campus also has joined in on the live performance action, set to host John Crist, one of today’s fastest-rising stand-up comedians, on Sunday, April 19, at 7 p.m. Now, Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark will make its concert debut with “Willie Nelson & Family,” demonstrating that major artists have circled the City of Waco as a concert destination not to be missed.

“Baylor University and Waco, Texas, are now on the map when it comes to live music and entertainment,” said Jason Cook, vice president for marketing and communications and chief marketing officer at Baylor. “There’s not much bigger news than Willie Nelson finally coming home to Baylor, and we have several announcements lined up for this fall’s concert schedule. We are excited to host these national artists to help grow the Baylor brand and give back to our Waco neighbors and the community overall.”

About Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson was born in 1933 in Abbott, Texas, a small town along Interstate 35 less than 25 minutes from Waco and the Baylor campus. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he attended Baylor on the G.I. Bill during the spring and summer quarters in 1954, before embarking on a seven-decades-long career as a legendary Texas musician, singer and songwriter. Nelson has earned every conceivable award as a musician and continues to thrive as a relevant and progressive musical and cultural force.

Following a year of critical acclaim in 2025 and two weeks after his Baylor show, Nelson will release his 79th solo studio album and 156th album overall, “Dream Chaser,” on May 29. On the heels of receiving two GRAMMY nominations for his albums “Last Leaf on the Tree,” which features close collaborations with Nelson’s son Micah, and “Oh What a Beautiful World,” “Dream Chaser” brings together a collection of reflective, story-driven songs focused on relationships, personal growth and life on the road. The album’s first single, the title track “Dream Chaser,” written by Buddy Cannon, Bobby Tomberlin and Nelson, is available on all digital service providers. 

In recent years, Nelson has delivered more than a dozen new albums, released a Top 10 New York Times' bestsellers book, again headlined Farm Aid (an event he co-founded in 1985), his annual Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic, been honored by the Library of Congress with the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, received his 5th degree black belt in Gong Kwon Yu Sul, headlined the annual Luck Reunion food and music festival during SXSW as well as the annual Outlaw Music Festival Tour, launched companies Willie's Reserve and Willie's Remedy and graced magazine covers from Rolling Stone to AARP The Magazine. 

In addition to newly recorded music, Nelson’s books have included “Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of The Family Band,” “Willie Nelson’s Letters to America,” “Me and Paul: Untold Tale of a Fabled Friendship,” “Energy Follows Thought” (with stories behind the lyrics of 160 of his favorite songs, along with never-before-seen photos and ephemera) and a cookbook co-authored with his wife, Annie.

In 2023, Nelson celebrated his 90th birthday with multiple projects and events, including “Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90,” a two-night star-studded concert at the famed Hollywood Bowl that was released as a feature film and a TV broadcast special. The year also featured the debut of "Wille Nelson & Family," a five-part documentary film series directed by Thom Zimny and Oren Moverman that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. To cap the momentous year, Nelson was inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 

All these creative endeavors, as well as new songs and performances that add to his classic catalog, find Willie Nelson rolling at an artistic peak, writing and singing and playing with the seasoned wit and wisdom that comes from the road.

Willie Nelson & Family Coming Home to Baylor University on May 14!

Don’t miss “Willie Nelson & Family” in concert on Thursday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m. at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark in Waco, Texas!

Full concert amenities, including beer, will be available.