Watch MGK, Jelly Roll play 'Lonely Road' for first time at Harley Homecoming in Milwaukee

Piet Levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·2 min read

If you weren't one of about 35,000 people who saw MGK (aka Machine Gun Kelly) make a surprise appearance during Jelly Roll's Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival headlining set in Milwaukee's Veterans Park Friday, you can join one of the 188,000 people (and counting) who have seen their joint appearance on YouTube.

A video of Jelly Roll and MGK performing their new joint single "Lonely Road" for the first time ever at the festival has been posted on the latter's YouTube page.

With a prominent interpolation and lyrics from John Denver's classic "Take Me Home, Country Roads," the song is well on its way to being a big hit for both artists. Last Friday, when the song also premiered, its music video (featuring their famous wives Megan Fox and Bunnie XO) reached the No. 2 trending spot for music on YouTube.

While it was a savvy marketing move, MGK also offered some sincere words in Milwaukee to Jelly Roll, a surprise phenomenon as renowned for his optimism and empathy, escaping a troubled path of drug addiction and frequent incarceration, as he is for personal songs like "Save Me" and "Need a Favor."

"I want to thank Jelly, not just for bringing me out, but for helping bring out the best side of me, as a man, as a father, as an artist," MGK said at the Harley-Davidson Homecoming. " … I love those calls that we have where you sit with me for hours, man, when I'm at the lowest lows and you make me feel so high."

The second of what has now become an annual event, the Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival this year featured more than a dozen acts playing over two days in Veterans Park — including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Hardy, The Offspring, Cypress Hill, Warren Zeiders and Priscilla Block.

The Milwaukee motorcycle company has already announced the dates for the 2025 edition — July 10-13 — with more details forthcoming.

More: Red Hot Chili Peppers disappoint at Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival 2024 in Milwaukee

More: From Jelly Roll to Chili Peppers, the best, worst of Harley-Davidson festival in Milwaukee

Contact Piet at (414) 223-5162 or [email protected]. Follow him on X at @pietlevy or Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Watch MGK, Jelly Roll debut 'Lonely Road' at Harley Homecoming

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