Willie Nelson is definitely one of the legendary country singers we have at the moment, and it seems his son is following his path.
In the 1960s, he caught country’s attention when he popularized the “outlaw country’ subgenre which was a challenged to the conservatism of Nashville then.
The country icon has a lengthy career and received multiple awards. To date, Willie continues to devote his time recording and getting involved in charitable and political causes.
In a spontaneous performance during a late night jam session, Willie Nelson’s son, Lukas Nelson, surprised the audience with his own rendition of his father’s classic hit, “Always On My Mind”.
“Always On My Mind” is a song about nostalgia, and various country singers have their own version but it was first recorded by Billie Joe “B.J.” Thomas in 1969.
It went on to be revived by other artists such as Gwen McCrae, Brenda Lee, John Wesley Ryles, and Elvis Presley.

YouTube | Lukas Nelson
Willie Nelson recorded his own version of the song in 1982 and it won the Grammy Award for best country vocal performance. His album of the same name also topped both the country and pop charts.
The phrase “like father, like son” proved to be true as Lukas Nelson serenaded the audience with his soulful take on the classic hit.

YouTube | Lukas Nelson
Even after decades have passed, its beautiful melody and message still resonate with those who hear it, taking them back to when times were much simpler.
Lukas spent a lot of time growing up on the road with his dad, which is why it is no surprise that from such an early age, he already wanted to be a musician. He always loved to sing and he wrote his first song when he was just 11 years old.
Lukas learned to play the guitar and became obsessed with it, playing for eight to ten hours a day.

YouTube | Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
From such an extremely young age, it became crystal clear to Lukas that he wanted to become one of the best country singers out there, and so he made his life about it.
Now, he has his own band called Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real, with Lukas as the lead vocalist and guitarist. Since 2015, they have also been Neil Young’s touring and studio band.
The story of the band’s formation began when Lukas Nelson met drummer Anthony LoGerfo at a Neil Young concert. The two musicians bonded over their shared love for music and soon began playing together. Lukas then invited his brother, guitarist Micah Nelson, and bassist Corey McCormick to join the group, solidifying the lineup of Promise of the Real.
In the early years, the band independently released their self-titled debut album in 2010, which garnered attention for their raw and authentic sound. However, it was their collaboration with Neil Young that catapulted them into the spotlight. Young took notice of their talent and invited them to back him up on his album “The Monsanto Years” and subsequent tour.
Here is Lukas Nelson’s wonderful live performance of “Always on my Mind”, posted by Jay Curlee on his YouTube.
Enjoy and don’t forget to share this with your friends and family!
Cathy
Monday 19th of June 2023
Love listening to you. You are awesome. WILLIE did good with you and your brother. Great musicians.
Thursday 17th of November 2022
Beautiful, sounds like your Dad! Beautiful voice💕
Amos
Tuesday 15th of November 2022
Holy COW! If I close my eyes, I actually hear Willie. I know of VERY few people whose voices mimic their parent’s voice so closely. In accents or how they pronounce words, sure, but the actual tone and timbre? No. That is RARE.
Monday 14th of November 2022
Classic!! Lukas Nelson will be a classic one day just like Willie Nelson. Great job Lukas!!
Wednesday 7th of April 2021
Absolutely beautiful! Come on NASHVILLE...We want to a lot more from Lukas Nelson!!! God bless.