After a 3 year wait, the Stagecoach Country Music Festival returned to the Empire Polo Club in Indio this past weekend. Our photographers on site, Will Lester and Jennifer Cappuccio Maher selected a number of their favorite images that range from the unexpected Carrie Underwood collaboration with Guns and Roses lead singer Axl Rose to the classic country performance of Tanya Tucker to newcomer Orville Peck. But none of it would have been possible without the attendance of tens of thousands of excited country music fans who waited through the coronavirus pandemic that canceled the 2020 and 2021 shows for the county music phenomenon to finally return.
Country music fans watch Luke Combs perform on the Mane Stage as he closes out the final day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Orville Peck performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Tanya Tucker performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Karyn Shales, from Menifee, reaches for free barbecue samples in the Stagecoach Smokehouse at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Friday, April 29, 2022. It’s the first Stagecoach since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
A country music fan looks for a spot on the grass to sit at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Friday, April 29, 2022. It’s the first Stagecoach since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Orville Peck performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Festival goers walk across the field during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Marcus King, of The Marcus King Band, performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Festival goers move about the “Mustang” art installation, by Don Kennell, during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
The sun sets behind the Spectra art installation, by Newsubstance, during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Margo Price performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
T.J. Osborne, of Brothers Osborne, performs on the Mane Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Country music legend Neal McCoy plays before an enthusiastic crowd in the Palomino Tent on the opening day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Friday, April 29, 2022. It’s the first Stagecoach since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Country music legend Neal McCoy plays before an enthusiastic crowd in the Palomino Tent on the opening day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Friday, April 29, 2022. It’s the first Stagecoach since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Country artist Thomas Rhett takes the stage as he headlines on the Mane Stage during the opening day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Country artist Thomas Rhett performs as he headlines the Mane Stage on the opening day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Esther Lee, of Fullerton, left, and Helen Yang, of Lakewood, pose for a selfie with Brewskey at the Compton Cowboys exhibit during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
The Marcus King Band performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Breland performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
The Compton Cowboys’ horses move about the corral at the Compton Cowboys exhibit during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Margo Price performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Yola performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Yola performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Guns n’ Roses lead singer Axl Rose makes a surprise appearance with Carrie Underwood to sing a pair of the groups famous songs on the Mane Stage during the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Guns n’ Roses lead singer Axl Rose makes a surprise appearance with Carrie Underwood to sing a pair of the groups famous songs on the Mane Stage during the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Country artist Carrie Underwood performs as she headlines the Mane Stage on the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Saturday April 30, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Country artist Carrie Underwood performs as she headlines the Mane Stage on the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Saturday April 30, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Festival goers walk inside the “Spectra” art installation, by Newsubstance, during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Festival goers stand before the ferris wheel during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Smokey Robinson performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Smokey Robinson performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Country music fans watch Lee Brice perform as they watch on a video board in the beer garden during the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Country artist Luke Combs spills his beverage as heperforms on the Mane Stage while closing out the final day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Country artist Cody Johnson performs on the Mane Stage during the final day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
A pair of country music fans watch Maren Morris perform from a distance on the Mane Stage on the opening day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Gabriel Weeks, from Camp Pendleton, and Jackie Liebman, from Fullerton, share a moment together as they dance while Maren Morris performs on the Mane Stage on the opening day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Jason and Brandi Gretsch, of Yuba City, dance as Side Pony performs on the Horseshoe Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Country artist Cody Johnson performs on the Mane Stage during the final day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Lana Del Rey performs with Nikki Lane on the Horseshoe Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
The Mavericks’ Eddie Perez performs on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
The Mavericks’ Eddie Perez, left, and Raúl Malo perform on the Palomino Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
Fireworks explode over the Empire Polo Club as country artist Carrie Underwood finishes her headlining set on the Mane Stage during the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Saturday April 30, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
A pair of country music fans watch as Maren Morris performs on the Mane Stage on the opening day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Country artist Cody Jinks performs before an overflow crowd on the Palomino Stage during the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
The Compton Cowboys’ Randy Savvy performs on the Horseshoe Stage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Saturday, April 30, 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher, Contributing Photographer)
A pair of country music fans share a moment together as they watch Maren Morris perform on the Mane Stage on the opening day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Country music fans watch from afar as artist Luke Combs performs on the Mane Stage as he closes out the final day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Members of the band Midland season a brisket in the Guy Fieri Backyard Cooking Demo at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Friday, April 29, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
A concessionaire pulls his cart of lighted cowboy hats through the crowd for the final time as country artist Luke Combs performs on the Mane Stage on the final day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Sunday, May 1, 2022. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Guns n’ Roses lead singer Axl Rose makes a surprise appearance with Carrie Underwood to sing a pair of the groups famous songs on the Mane Stage during the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio Saturday, April 30, 2022.(Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
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