Zach Top caught the attention of the country music world earlier this year with his debut studio album Cold Beer & Country Music. His throwback sound, timeless voice, and witty songwriting made him a favorite among genre fans. However, fans aren’t the only ones who are listening to the Washington native. Earlier today (December 27), Lukas Nelson posted a cover of Top’s biggest hit “I Never Lie.”
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Nelson is no stranger to sharing covers or acoustic performances of his original songs on social media. He’ll often take up his guitar and record a short video for his fans and followers. Today’s cover was a little different. Instead of playing his guitar, Nelson sat down at his piano to deliver a fresh take on the song. “This song has been in my head for the last month. Great tune, [Zach Top],” Nelson wrote in the post’s caption, tagging the “Beer for Breakfast” singer.
Nelson’s cover of “I Never Lie” is nothing short of beautiful. Where the original version is a tongue-in-cheek breakup song in the vein of George Strait’s “Ocean Front Property,” this cover is a powerful piano-driven ballad. Nelson puts his heart and soul into the vocal delivery here.
Lukas Nelson Covers Zach Top’s First Hit Song
Lukas Nelson and Zach Top are both artists who serve as a bridge between classic and modern country. Nelson is the son of Willie Nelson, raised around greats like Kris Kristofferson. He has a wealth of classic country songs in his back pocket.
Top is similar. While he doesn’t have the iconic parentage, he does have a deep knowledge of and respect for classic country music. More importantly, he’s introducing that style to a younger audience.
At the same time, he blends his classic sound with modern sensibilities. For instance, “I Never Lie” was an album track from Cold Beer & Country Music until it went viral on TikTok. Then, Top and his team released it as a single.
“I Never Lie” went to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, giving him his first top 10 hit. It also landed at No. 24 on the publication’s Country Airplay chart and No. 58 on the all-genre Hot 100.
Featured Image by John Shearer/Getty Images for CMT
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