Willie Nelson’s son, Lukas Nelson, spent 2020 cutting through the devastation of COVID-19 lockdowns by hosting “Quarantunes” sessions on his YouTube channel; covering timeless hits from stars including Louis Armstrong, Neil Young, and Lady Gaga. But on just his third Quarantunes episode in March 2020, Lukas struck gold when he uploaded a cover of Paul Simon’s career-defining single, “Sound of Silence,” and ended up going viral with over 1.4 million views to date!
Lukas neatly ties the timeless lyrics into then-current affairs, topped with unnerving premonitions for how the pandemic could play out. He introduces the track as “a great American tune, written by a native New Yorker, Paul Simon,” adding, “there’s a lot happening in New York right now and if we all don’t encourage each other to bunker down, then it might happen all over this country. So, don’t be silent. Encourage your friends and loved ones to stay indoors.”
But despite his set being punctuated with paranoia, Lukas’ dedicatory cover to New York is instantly enchanting. One of eight children of the now-91-year-old Willie Nelson from across four marriages, Lukas one hundred percent inherited his father’s knack for real and raw music; performing the tune with ethereal sensitivity, fingerpicking his classical guitar and drawing full attention to the lyrics.
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From his lion locks, Music Man readers might anticipate a cover doused in heavy metal. However, Lukas has been settled in the country rock scene, officially, since 2008, when he formed the band ‘Promise of the Real’ after meeting fellow musician and soon-to-be founding member Anthony LoGerfo at a Neil Young concert.
Neil Young and Lukas’ dad, Willie, go way back. In 1985, the pair launched the annual Farm Aid festival with John Mellencamp. Once Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real had become regular, late-’00s Farm Aid stars, Neil Young approached the band to join him on tour, the supergroup later releasing three albums together (“Earth” in 2016, “The Visitor” in 2017, and “Noise & Flowers” in 2022). Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real have also supported Neil on a number of historic tours and one-off shows, including Neil Young’s co-headline set with Bob Dylan in Hyde Park, London, 2019.
But Lukas’ band wasn’t out of luck yet. During their Desert Trip gig with Neil Young, Hollywood A-list actor Bradley Cooper caught the band from the crowd and later contacted Lukas for tips on acting like a world-class musician, whilst putting his character together for his upcoming film, “A Star Is Born.” But after hitting it off, Lukas ended up co-writing a number of the movie’s soundtrack hits alongside Bradley and his leading lady, Lady Gaga, later appearing in the BAFTA Award-winning film himself, performing in the backing band for Bradley’s character.
Lukas Nelson has shown an uncanny ability to bridge past and present through his soulful Quarantunes sessions. His rendition of “Sound of Silence” not only captured hearts but also echoed the collective sentiment of its time, proving his musical prowess. For those eager to dive deeper into Lukas’s captivating performances and get a taste of his raw talent, useful links are provided below.