Willie Nelson and Kermit the Frog Make the 'Rainbow Connection' at Luck Reunion Concert

Two icons of the music and entertainment world came together on March 14 to sing the Academy Award-nominated song "Rainbow Connection." Willie Nelson and Kermit the Frog performed the tune at Nelson's annual Luck Reunion in Austin, Texas. Listen and watch the fan video below.

The pair also treated the attendees to a medley of classics including Mac Davis' "Hard To Be Humble," the Christian hymn "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?" and the gospel song "I'll Fly Away." While hard to imagine a Muppet attaining a hit chart song, "Rainbow Connection," originally recorded by the late Jim Henson for the 1979 film The Muppet Movie, reached No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for songwriters Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher. The song has been covered by dozens of musicians, including Barbra Streisand, Gwen Stefani, Jason Mraz and Nelson himself in 2001.

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Nelson has just stepped back into the album spotlight with his 75th solo studio album The Border to be released May 31 via Sony imprint Legacy Recordings, with the lead single and title track dropping last Thursday, Mar. 14. The song is a cover of Rodney Crowell and Allen Shambin's 2019 song from Crowell's album Texas.

Nelson continues to record material fairly consistently. He released two albums in 2023, I Don't Know A Thing About Love and the Grammy-nominated Bluegrass. Then in September, he hosted the 38th edition of his Farm Aid benefit festival in Noblesville, Indiana.

Hailing from Abbot, Texas, the 90-year-old Nelson began his recorded music career in 1956 with the self-penned single "No Place For Me." His more public-facing recognition came as a songwriter, most famously "Crazy" recorded by Patsy Cline in 1961. At the behest of legendary guitarist Chet Atkins, Nelson moved to Nashville and recorded Country Willie – His Own Songs in 1964. But a fire at his ranch signaled a change and with interest in genres slightly outside traditional country music, he released a string of critically acclaimed albums (Shotgun Willie, Phases and Stages, Red Headed Stranger) and immersed himself in what was dubbed "outlaw country" music.

He has crossed over genres, collaborated with dozens of musicians (most notably as part of "We Are The World" in 1985), become a best-selling author and added actor to his resume with his debut in 1979's The Electric Horseman.

Nelson will be undertaking tour dates starting from April and going through May and then the Outlaw Fest with Bob Dylan, Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, John Mellencamp, Britteny Spencer, Southern Avenue and guitar virtuoso Celisse on various dates and venues in the summer. Check Nelson's official website for further information here.