Growing up around country music royalty, Lukas Nelson was destined to follow in his father’s footsteps. It helped that his father was the iconic Willie Nelson. Always having a love for the deep history of music, Lukas turned that passion into a career that included several studio albums. But instead of highlighting his own career, Lukas often finds time to honor those who not only inspired him but helped shape the sound of American music – like Ray Charles.
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When taking the stage in Atlanta, Lukas entertained thousands of fans with a few of his hit songs. But knowing the deep musical history tied to the state, the singer knew he couldn’t leave without a cover of “Georgia on My Mind.”
While popularized by Charles in 1960, “Georgia on My Mind” dates back to 1930. Written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell, Carmichael recorded the lyrics that same year. When putting the final touches on his album, The Genius Hits the Road, Charles added the classic to the tracklist.
Lukas Nelson honors More Than Ray Charles With “Georgia On My Mind”
Throughout the history of “Georgia on My Mind”, the song has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame twice. Once for Charles and the other for Carmichael. And in 1979, the General Assembly of Georgia announced that the classic would become the state’s official song.
Aside from the rich history of the song, Lukas appeared to add his signature style to the lyrics. Looking at what fans had to say, comments included:
“Fabulous!!! I love your version of this much loved song! You can sing the blues!!”
“D**n it! You sound so much like your amazing dad. Amazing!!”
“Lukas you sound like your dad. I’ve never been a country music fan, but I’ve loved Willie since I was in my early 20’s and I’ll be 70 in January.”
“Darlin, you are absolutely phenomenal, you make Texas proud.”
“Lukas, you are simply fantastic. It’s wild how much you sound like your dad. I love your dad.”
Already proving his ability to add his flair to any song, Lukas has covered other classics like “Someone Like You”, “Just Breathe”, and “Harvest Moon”. Yet, when it came to his time in Atlanta, it seemed that the only thing on his mind – was Georgia.
And for fans in Atlanta, the performance was more than just another cover – it was a tribute to the state, the song, and the musical legends who came before him.
(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)
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