Review: Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson wow festivalgoers at Faster Horses Music Festival

CAMBRIDGE TWP. — Country superstars Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson headlined this past weekend's Faster Horses Music Festival at Michigan International Speedway in Cambridge Township, — a lineup that included three days of country music stars — and festival-goers did not leave disappointed, particularly with the top acts, according to The Daily Telegram's music reviewer, Tina Salisbury.

Jelly Roll puts on an upbeat show

There was a crackle of excitement in the air Friday night at the 2024 Faster Horses Festival as fans were anxiously waiting for the opening nights’ headliner to take the stage.

Jason “Jelly Roll” DeFord did not disappoint, starting his show ahead of schedule with his upbeat song, “The Lost,” followed by one of his chart-topping singles, “Halfway to Hell."

“What a way to open this festival….” Jelly Roll said, after his first two songs.

He went on to tell the crowd how much being in Michigan meant to him, as he considered it his "home away from home." Fans filled the air with screams as he launched into “Son of the Dirty South” followed by one of his more recent songs, “Wild Ones.”

He quieted things down next by talking to the audience about growing up a “mama’s boy,” and being taught about solid country gold such as Waylon Jennings and Keith Whitley.

Appearances by Tyler Hubbard and Cody Johnson were one of the many highlights from the Jelly Roll performance opening night. Sprinkled in with the special guests was a blend of stories about his youth, including a story about when he was 12 years old and being introduced to the "fragrance of freedom" and then did a mix of rap songs like N.W.A.’s “Boyz in the Hood,” “Ruff Ryder’s Anthem” by DMX, Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” Outkast’s “Sorry Miss Jackson” and “You Say She’s Just a Friend” by Biz Markie that had fans going crazy chanting “JELLY! JELLY!”

One fan was even rewarded when Jelly Roll singled her out for holding up her phone all night with the song request for “She,” about a young woman battling addiction. He dedicated it to her and sang the first half of the song directly to her.

I was surprised that fans didn’t try to call for an encore and then took a minute to think that, just like myself, they may have gotten everything they needed from what Jelly Roll gave Friday night. He shared his memories, his heart, his passion and his amazing music.

Lainey Wilson performs as Saturday headliner

Drum roll please, followed by Barbara Mandrel’s voice singing, “I was Country, when Country wasn’t Cool” — that’s how Lainey Wilson started her show as Saturday nights’ headliner at the 2024 Faster Horses Festival.

Wearing her signature bell bottoms in bright purple, she kept the energy up as she flowed right into “Hang on Honey” then “Straight up Sideways,” followed by “Smell like Smoke."

Staying up on the big stage for much of the beginning of the show, Wilson finally ventured downstage when she performed “Dirty Looks” then seemed to disappear while her band played a long instrumental.

Fans were looking around confused before Lainey’s voice echoed, — “I’ll be just a minute y’all. I split my pants and need to change! Thanks to my people for letting me know because I had no idea.”

Wilson came back on stage a minute later wearing black wranglers, laughing at herself and told her fans, “Y’all just about got a REAL show!”

Wilson’s new album arrives Aug. 23, and includes a duet with fellow country music superstar, Miranda Lambert, she told the crowd.

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Her single from the recently released film, "Twisters," titled, “Out of Oklahoma,” preceded a moment of encouragement Wilson shared with the audience.

“When you wonder how you’re gonna do it or how you’re gonna get through it, just remember, you’re here!” and she belted out her chart-topping hit “Heart Like a Truck” as fans went wild.

Wilson says “Y’all are crazy…a good crazy….my kinda crazy.”

Wilson then had a young girl from the crowd, Nora, crowned “Cowgirl of the Night” and then sang “Watermelon Moonshine” followed by a history lesson in classic country music. Wilson sang classics by Hank Williams Sr., Loretta Lynn, Johnny Paycheck, Randy Travis and Reba McIntyre.

She informed the crowd that her new album, "Whirlwind," drops on Aug. 23, containing a duet with Miranda Lambert. She said the story behind it is "no matter where this life takes me, I’ll always find my way home." Then she sang “Good Horses." Wilson then went right into the song “Things a Man Oughta Know,” pausing in the middle of the song to say “I can’t believe I split my pants y’all!”

Wilson finished the night out with two of her own songs: “4X4XU,” which she explained is about finally having a boyfriend worth writing about and how good he is to her, then ended the night with “Wildflowers, Wild Horses,” meshing the two songs as if they were one.

It was a great night and Lainey Wilson did not disappoint.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Review: Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll thrill crowd at Faster Horses