It is always interesting to see what the spawn of legendary musicians will come up with when moving into the family business. While the kids of a renowned musician have a leg up due to connections and the family name, there is also the chance that the old “talent skips a generation” notion comes to fruition. That can be daunting, because if they suck, the anti-entitlement trolls will descend upon their untalented musical carcass with knives and daggers.
These days, however, there are many examples of sons and daughters of famous artists who are truly capable and worthy of the success they’ve earned. One of them is guitarist and vocalist Lukas Nelson, who has been slowly rising up on his own laurels while also still playing with his dad, Willie Nelson, on occasion.
Lukas is more of a rocker than his father — he’s someone who’d rather plug in his electric guitar and jam with Neil Young than play Country music with Pops. And for the past couple of years, Lukas has been doing just that. He and his band, Promise of the Real, made the 2015 album The Monsanto Years with Young, and toured with him to support it. Things must’ve gone well, because they’re backing Young on tour again this summer. That’s a heady endorsement — the characteristically outspoken and honest Young would not play with Lukas and his crew if they didn’t have the chops.
But don’t take Young’s word for it. All you have to do is listen to Promise of the Real’s latest full-length, Something Real, to know that this band is more than legit. The much-anticipated album (released earlier this year) has been in my playlist for a while now — not because of the last name on the cover, but because it’s very good.
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