Lukas Nelson Opens Up About Newfound Sobriety, Facing His Fears, And Living In His Dad’s Shadow
Lukas Nelson Is Opening Up Like Never Before
Lukas Nelson, the son of country legend Willie Nelson, followed in his father’s musical footsteps. He did it his way, though, not altogether tying himself to the country music genre.
He is the frontman for his band Lukas Nelson & the Promise of the Real, which has had sixteen albums since 2010.
Lukas has been a traveling musician for many years, performing with various people, including his band, his dad, Shooter Jennings, Lainey Wilson, Emmy Russell, and more.
After 15 years of performing with his band, Lukas is releasing his debut solo album on June 20th, which is produced by Shooter Jennings. Of the release, Lukas said,
“This album is the first chapter in a new era of my life as an artist. Itâs 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.”
Going solo isn’t the only change Lukas has made.
Lukas Nelson Reveals He Made a Life-Altering Change
In a lengthy Instagram post, Lukas revealed that four years ago, he was deathly afraid of flying. Even though he had to do it often for his job, he would be anxious every single time he stepped on a plane.
“Every time I got on an airplane, which was a lot, I felt I was rolling the dice and I couldnât rationalize my anxiety down,” he said.
He revealed that at the time, he was smoking weed every day, was overweight, didn’t work out, and was dealing with some deeply personal problems that he said he would never make public. Even though he was down, he was still grateful for his life, that he had a roof over his head and food to eat.
“However, the entertainment industry and my legacy painted a very narrow picture for me of who I was supposed to be and what my life actually meant. A painting I thought I was meant to live inside.. playing a part that wasnât really me but that I had been conditioned to think was part of the life I chose,” he wrote.
Being the son of one of the most beloved singers of all time can put a lot of pressure on someone. And Lukas knew he had more potential that the life he was living. But one day, a person close to him inspired him to make a change. He began working out, and he got sober from weed and alcohol.
“And in that new clarity, I learned to fly,” he said. “I decided the best way to conquer my fear of flying was to learn how to do it myself. I donât know many pilots who are afraid to fly. And so I went to flight school. I faced my fear.”
At 36 years old, Lukas is in the best shape of his life, and he has photos to prove it.
He strives to be the best person he can be, and we applaud him!
He ended his post by writing, “I never would have been able to picture this person I am 4 years ago. 4 years ago I was afraid to fly, and now I am a pilot. God Ainât Done.”
Swipe through all the photos to see the seven photos he posted.
Watch his new music video for his song “Ain’t Done.”
