The Song That Blew Willie Away

Willie Nelson

His biggest supporter.

Last week, Lukas Nelson released his debut solo album, American Romance, after many years as the frontman for his former band, Promise of the Real. They toured for years, put out several amazing albums, and even backed Neil Young on tour for a while.

Lukas is the son of the great Willie Nelson, and is a truly amazing artist in his own right, and he stopped by The Howard Stern Show to play some of the music and discuss his musical journey which has led him to put out his first solo album. Of course, he first got the bug, so to speak, because he wanted to spend more time with his dad, who was often leaving for the road on tour.

“My dad would leave all the time, and I’d be naturally upset as a little kid, and I knew that if I learned how to be a great musician we would be bonded forever. It wasn’t about being as great as him, it was about speaking the same language [and] being part of the club that understands music.

The first song I ever wrote, when I was about 11, it’s called ‘You Were It.’” It’s a great song and I don’t think that since I have written a song that’s better. My dad heard it back then and he was blown away so he cut it and put it on his album in 2004. And then Kris Kristofferson heard it and he said ‘Man, you don’t have a choice but to be a songwriter.’” 

He spent 15 years and played 250 shows a year making a name for himself… doing it the hard way.

Even for a struggling band just starting out, that’s an astonishing amount of shows to play every year, and there’s no doubt that he’s worked very hard to carve his own path, regardless of who his dad is, to earn every bit of it. Lukas explained that he thinks his parents are proud of the fact that he’s “earned it,” more than the success itself:

“I really wanted to make my dad proud by being completely self-sufficient, you know? I wanted to make him proud by not needing him. I put 70,000 miles on a ’91 Econoline Ford with my first band, and we went out for 15 years and played 250 shows a year straight and built something with ourselves that now I can say I feel like I’ve earned — and I think that makes my dad and my mom the most proud.”

According to Rolling Stone, Stern also asked if it ever upsets Lukas that people might assume this was all handed to him, and he gave a really interesting response, saying it doesn’t because he’s at peace knowing that’s not what happened at all:

Stern was also surprised to learn that Lukas quit drinking and smoking weed, which his father, Willie, is famous for… he wondered if there was any disappointment on his dad’s end, and Lukas said that his father has always respected people for their “individuality,” and he believed the lie for many years that he had to live just like his heroes, including his dad, in order to find inspiration for his music:

“I did feel at a certain point that it was something, not just with my father, but with my old band, that it separated me from that a little bit. But my father, of anyone, respects someone for being who they are and their individuality…

The biggest lie I ever believed was that you have to make the mistakes that your heroes make…. That you have to live like your heroes or icons… ‘I loved Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, so maybe I’ll die early.’”

He’s talked about that a decent amount while doing press for the record, and he added that he’s lucky to have had “one of the greats of all time” as a father, rightfully likening him to Muhammad Ali. But more than anything, Lukas says he’s lucky that, beyond being an incredible musician, his dad is “an inspiring human”:

“I got lucky that my dad is an inspiring human, not just a musician, but an inspiring person to be around. He’s like Muhammad Ali. He is one of the greats of all time. And not just a musician, but as a well-rounded human being.”

And actually, Willie revealed recently that he doesn’t smoke anymore, and only does the occasional edible these days, so times really have changed…

It’s clear from how Lukas has gone about his career, and how he speaks about his father now, that Willie and his wife, Annie, were incredible parents. I think it’s such a fascinating life and dynamic, and clearly, Lukas has come by his talent very honestly and learned so much from his father.