Multi-talented musician and songwriter Lukas Nelson is gearing up to share his first solo album, featuring creative contributions from some very familiar faces. Set for release on June 20 via Sony Music Nashville, American Romance offers 12 fresh tracks, including the contemplative lead single, “Ain’t Done.”
An expert at morphing complicated emotions into simple, yet profoundly poetic lyrics, Nelson delivers a slow-rolling acknowledgment of a bittersweet fact: the only certainty in life is uncertainty.
“God ain’t done with you / Every time you win, every time you lose,” he declares in the song’s chorus. “There’s a guarantee with every evening sun / Nothing lasts and God ain’t done.”
“I went through this period of self-reflection and George Harrison’s song, ‘All Things Must Pass,’ was part of what got me through that moment,” Nelson shares, discussing the song’s inspiration in a statement. “It gave me that understanding that it’s not for us to know what comes next. Everything changes and nothing stays the same.”
Personal and artistic evolution seem to be pivotal themes within the songs of American Romance, which includes guest appearances from Stephen Wilson Jr. and Sierra Ferrell.
Shooter Jennings serves as producer on the project, with Anderson East providing production work on the track “Disappearing Light.” Sisters Chauntee and Monique Ross, better known as the celebrated duo SistaStrings, add their magic touch with cello and viola on “Montana.”
In addition, Nelson recruited an impressive roster of players for the record, including Matt Chamberlain (drums), Corey McCormick (bass), Marty Muse (dobro), Russ Pahl (pedal steel), Chris Powell (drums), Brian Whelan (acoustic guitar), and Eleanor Whitmore (fiddle).
It’s been over a decade since Nelson first made his own mark on the music scene with his band, Promise of the Real. Now, the seasoned 36-year-old artist is excited to start anew while paying homage to the journey that led him there.
“This album is the first chapter in a whole new era of my life as an artist,” Nelson reflects. “It’s a love story to the country that raised me. Diners and highways that carried me through the joy and pain that led to the music you hear now.”
Listen to “Ain’t Done” below:
Lukas Nelson, American Romance Track List:
- “Ain’t Done”
- “Pretty Much”
- “Make You Happy”
- “Outsmarted”
- “Disappearing Light” (feat. Stephen Wilson Jr.)
- “Born Runnin’ Outta Time”
- “All God Did”
- “Montana”
- “Friend in the End” (feat. Sierra Ferrell)
- “The Lie”
- “American Romance”
- “You Were I”
