Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and HARDY Led Faster Horses’ Return

Faster Horses Music and Camping Festival returned to Brooklyn, Michigan, this last weekend, bringing a “star-studded lineup” (Vanity Fair) including headliners Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and HARDY.

Known as “a hotbed for country music fans” (American Songwriter) and one of summer’s most anticipated festivals, 90s style honky-tonker Zach Top kicked off the three-day event on Friday under the sun, followed by lively sets from Jackson Dean and Tyler Hubbard. The evening commenced with a video tribute to military members, featuring special clips from previous festival-goers who are currently active duty and could not make it to this year’s festival. Cody Johnson also honored our vets, singing “God Bless America” during his raucous set that had fans cheering. The energy hit a high when headliner Jelly Roll took to the stage and continued to build as he brought Tyler Hubbard on stage for a special cover of Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” and he welcomed Cody Johnson back on stage to duet “Son of A Sinner” and “Whiskey Bent.”

Saturday morning revved up with the annual “Faster Humans” fun run around the Michigan International Speedway, where fans showcased their Faster Horses spirit as they raced around the famed race track before heading to catch the day’s stacked lineup. Packed with memorable sets across two stages, festival-goers sang along to Alexandra Kay, Sawyer Brown, and Shane Smith & The Saints. Seven-time ACM “Group of the Year” winners Old Dominion performed fan favorites to an eager crowd as the sun set. Lainey Wilson closed out Saturday night with a bang, entering the stage on top of a vintage orange truck. Along with performing hits like “Heart Like A Truck” and “Watermelon Moonshine,” Wilson invited a young fan on stage and crowned her “cowgirl of the night.”

Both Friday and Saturday nights ended with dynamic dance parties at the Next From Nashville Stage with late night sets from DJ Rod Youree.

The sunshine and good times continued into Sunday, rounding out the weekend with vibrant performances from Tigirlily Gold, Ashley Cooke, Kip Moore and Riley Green. HARDY lit up the stage with his genre-melding anthems and high-energy live production, featuring pyrotechnics, rolling smoke and bright strobe lights.

The weekend saw multiple nods to late legend Toby Keith, including tributes from Sawyer Brown and Riley Green, who performed “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and “Courtesy Of The Red, White and Blue” on Sunday as the sun set.

Fans also enjoyed music at the Next From Nashville Stage, which featured sets from Jake Worthington, Sadie Bass, Tanner Adell, Aidan Canfield, Stephen Wilson Jr., Josh Ross and more, bringing the most buzzed-about newcomers to Michigan’s largest country music festival. A launchpad for country’s new big superstar, the Next From Nashville stage has hosted Chris Stapleton, HARDY, Sam Hunt, Cole Swindell, Kelsea Ballerini in the past, and has been praised as “a chance to catch an eventual megastar from just a few feet away.” (Detroit Free Press)