The Nelsons have put a father-daughter spin on the Shotgun Willie classic, “Slow Down Old World.”
Videos by American Songwriter
On Thursday (Feb. 24), Paula Nelson along with her dad, country legend Willie Nelson, released the first of a pair of duets. A re-recording of Willie’s well-loved 1973 song, “Slow Down Old World,” sees the two harmonize with heartwarming synchronicity.
“‘Slow Down Old World’ has always been one of my favorite songs for so many reasons,” the younger Nelson shared with Garden & Gun. “The melody is incredibly moving, the lyrics bring out a variety of emotions, and together, they create a song you just can’t get enough of.”
The accompanying video shows the two, awash in black and white, performing in the recording studio together. The two share a similar quavering country lilt that haunts the simplistic footage.
“Recording this with my dad is so special because it’s his song, so I knew already how much it meant to him,” she added. “And it goes without saying how much it means to me to hear him say how proud of me he is. It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe but will stay with me forever.”
Check out their duet of “Slow Down Old World” below. Their second duet, “Pretend I Never Happened,” is set to arrive on March 17.
Last year, the patriarch released the album, The Willie Nelson Family, a project that featured not only Paula, but also Willie’s sister Bobbie Nelson on piano, sons Lukas and Micah Nelson, and daughter Amy Nelson, on drums, guitars, and vocals. The album marked sister Bobbie’s final work before she passed in 2022.
“Working with family, creating music, is pure bliss,” Lukas Nelson shared of the project in a statement. “What a gift that we were all able to come together and celebrate the power of music during these troubled times. The spirit in this music is strong. I am grateful to have been a part of this experience.”
This year, the country icon is set to celebrate his 90th birthday with an all-star tribute concert that will include the Nelson clan, as well.
(Photo by Rick Diamond/WireImage)
