As we were waiting for the doors to open we met a number of fans who traveled from out of state to see the personable and talented Lukas Nelson at the Gibson Garage. Lukas has plenty of star quality in his DNA. After all he is the son of Willie and played in his father's band during the early days of his musical career. Later, Lukas formed Promise of the Real. That group spent three years supporting Neil Young but still had time to release a number of well-received records. Now, Lukas is ready to present his first-ever solo album - American Romance available June 20, 2025 via Sony Music Nashville. We had the pleasure of hearing some of the new tracks when he played them at the BMI Rooftop on May 28th.

Gibson Gives in partnership with Music Heals International honored Lukas for his incredible contributions to their mission over the past decade. MHI presented him with the Rob Wasserman Memorial Ambassador Award and they surprised Nelson with a short film narrated by Sean Penn that documented his first trip to Haiti with the organization. There he worked directly with children showing them how to play instruments while sharing his love of the discipline. The joy on the student's faces was undeniable thus proving the point that music most definitely heals.

Lukas was moved by the movie and was brought to tears by the presentation - something he claimed was rare for him joking that he generally strives to identify as a cold and heartless icon along the likes of a Clint Eastwood character. Still - despite his protests - Nelson comes off in person as a friendly and approachable individual almost the exact opposite of "Dirty Harry" on the big screen.

Lukas performed a long solo set minutes after receiving
the inaugural MHI Rob Wasserman Memorial Ambassador Award.

"I just play music," he modestly continued pointing out that his attempt to help others was actually selfish at its root cause - because he was initially motivated to do it in order to simply feel good. Next, Nelson stated how extremely hard MHI's Board works - giving a lot of credit to Sara Wasserman the Founder and Executive Director of MHI. Sara is also a musician who started out performing with her dad in Bob Weir's RatDog.

Rob Wasserman (April 1, 1952 – June 29, 2016) was an acclaimed bass player and composer who worked with a wide variety of artists. Rob is best known for his trilogy of albums, Solo, Duets, and Trios. Thus, the award bearing his name is a legacy to his creativity and the mantra that music heals.

The concert kicked off with Paul Beaubrun - a Haitian singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer. Born and raised in Port-au-Prince, he is the son of Theodore and Mimerose of the Grammy nominated band Boukman Eksperyans and the grandson of legendary Haitian comedian Languichatte. Paul presented a number of soulful originals along with Bob Marley’s "No Woman, No Cry". He advised the attentive audience that as much as there is poverty in his homeland there is also good things and MHI is cultivating hope there.

Lukas armed with an acoustic treated fans to a diverse set. Recalling his time in Haiti he remembered sharing songs that he loved with the kids including the Beatles' "Blackbird". It was one of a number of tunes he played in honor of Paul McCartney’s birthday. Bob Marley also found his way into the set along with a complicated Django Reinhardt piece - that Lukas described as the first song his father ever taught him on guitar.

Lukas Nelson, Rob Wasserman remembered, Sara Wasserman and Lily Meola in Nashville.

Fan favorites such as "Forget About Georgia" were played along with a newer number about a flood with the heavy declaration that "God won't give us more than we can handle" – giving us something to think about in these uncertain times.

There was a short break in which two signed guitars were auctioned off to raise more money for MHI. The guitars along with the event space was donated by Gibson Gives whose mission is to support non-profit organizations worldwide in their efforts to advance musicians, youth-focused education, music and health & wellness initiatives.

The Friends portion of the show featured Lukus trading leads with Kashus Culpepper on the haunting "Who Hurt You" and the potent "Pour Me Out". His duets with Lily Meola were captivating as was the closing numbers that featured Paul on POTR's popular "Find Yourself" and Lukus solo on the classic "Let's Stay Together".

Throughout the evening it was truly inspiring to learn about the ongoing commendable work of Music Heals International who were showcasing their introductory public event in Nashville. Coupled together with Lukas Nelson's own dedication to the healing power of music the powerful event beautifully reflected the spirit of the MHI Rob Wasserman Memorial Ambassador Award. It was truly an extraordinary night of entertainment for fans at the Gibson Garage that raised awareness and funds for Music Heals International in the process - and we rate that as a win/win for everyone involved.

Paul Beaubrun, Kashus Culpepper and Lukas Nelson at the Gibson Garage.

Related Links: For more information on LUKAS NELSON and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - Lukas Nelson | Music Heals International | Gibson Garage Nashville | Gibson Foundation | Lukas Nelson and Kaitlin Butts Raise the Roof at Beloved BMI Bash in Nashville