I need the studio cut of this ASAP.
Today, Lukas Nelson, shared a cover of Zach Top’s “I Never Lie,” which has of course become a viral hit this year, and was included on Zach’s 2024 debut album Cold Beer & Country Music. He co-wrote the song with Carson Chamberlain and Tim Nichols, and it was produced by Chamberlain.
“I Never Lie” blew up on TikTok first, and was as viral as a song can be on that app, which led to it becoming the album’s second single. It charted on the Billboard Hot 100 all-genre chart, and has put Top on the quick pathway to becoming one of country music’s most exciting and promising young stars.
Of course, Lukas is the son of the great Willie Nelson, and most recently released an album called Sticks & Stones in 2023. He announced that he and his band Promise of the Real would be on an indefinite hiatus going forward earlier this year, and since then, he’s been teasing some solo stuff on Instagram that I am dying to hear.
I was incredibly sad to hear that he and the band were taking a break, but Lukas is such an amazing talent and I can only hope that means he’s been working on some solo stuff, or even an album, that might be coming in 2025.
He proved his unique artistry once again with this cover, turning twangy boot-stomper into a more slow piano ballad that I can’t get enough of… his vocals are just next level, and it’s hard to imagine this song could be just as good, if not better, than the original, but I have to say, this is beyond good and something few artists could pull off.
Top has an awesome voice too, so in my opinion, you can’t go wrong with either version… but there’s something so striking about this cover with the piano arrangement that gives it an entirely new meaning.
“This song has been stuck in my head for the last month, great tune Zach.”
I think the only thing that could be better is if they sang it together… do yourself a favor and check this out, you’ll be very glad you did:
“I Never Lie”
Zach is gearing up to his the road on his extensive headlining 2025 Cold Beer & Country Music tour, which officially kicks off in January in Omaha, Nebraska.
The confirmed tour dates for next year are listed below, likely with many more to come.
ZACH TOP CONFIRMED 2025 TOUR DATES
December 30—San Diego, CA—Wild Horses
January 16—Omaha, NE—Steelhouse+
January 18—Fayetteville, AR—JJ’s Live+
January 24—Denver, CO—Grizzly Rose+
January 30—Columbus, OH—The Bluestone+
January 31—Royal Oak, MI—Royal Oak Music Theatre+
February 1—Cincinnati, OH—Bogart’s+
February 6—Des Moines, IA—Val Air Ballroom+
February 7—Tulsa, OK—Cain’s Ballroom+
February 14—Durant, OK—Choctaw Grand Theater+
February 16—San Antonio, TX—Frost Bank Center – San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
February 27—Chattanoooga, TN—The Signal+
February 28—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium^
March 6—Jacksonville, FL—FIVE+
March 8—Atlanta, GA—Buckhead Theatre+
March 21-23—Willowbank, Australia—CMC Rocks
+with special guest Cole Goodwin
^with special guest Jake Worthington