With life featuring highs and lows, ups and downs, and the good and bad, there are countless stories all being told at once. Having a finger on the pulse of those stories, Willie Nelson produced some of the most beloved road anthems ever written, capturing the freedom, heartache, and hope that come with a life in motion. And throughout that time, he never forgot the importance of family. Offering country music more than a few historic performances, Nelson did away with the stage for a family cover of “On The Road Again.”
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Given the timeless talent Nelson possesses, it only made sense that his sons, Lukas and Micah Nelson, would follow in his footsteps. For Lukas, he found his home within the subgenre of Americana. Micah took an entirely different approach when joining Neil Young and the Crazy Horse. But no matter the path, they all loved music.
Already climbing over 132,000 views, Nelson, joined by his sons, covered his classic song “On The Road Again.” Although having performed on some of the biggest stages in the world, Nelson simply enjoyed the company of his sons.
Willie Nelson Wrote “On The Road Again” On A “Barf Bag”
Letting the lyrics highlight their history, love, and support for each other, the performance acted as a full-circle moment for Nelson.
The idea of “On the Road Again” first came to Nelson when he was approached by an executive producer. At the time, the country singer signed a contract for the film Honeysuckle Rose, which centered around a touring musician’s relationship with his family. Needing a theme song for the film, the producer urged Nelson to write about his own life on the road.
On a flight when asked, Nelson didn’t have much to work with when it came to a pen and paper. Able to find a pen, the country icon wrote the famous lyrics on a barf bag.
Although just another tale in the long, unpredictable journey of a songwriter, that single request led to Nelson winning a Grammy Award for Best Country Song just a year later. And with nearly five decades passing since it first hit the airwaves, “On the Road Again” became an anthem for Nelson’s life, as he continues to tour, sharing not just his voice but his soul.
Now, standing beside Lukas and Micah, that same road feels a little more meaningful to Nelson and his family.
(Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
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