On this day (August 17) in 1985, the Highwaymen were at No. 1 with “Highwayman.” The song spent a week at the top of the chart and won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song, which went to songwriter Jimmy Webb. Later, the group took their name from the track. Interestingly, one of the group’s members had passed on it years earlier.
Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson released their first collaborative album, Highwayman, in 1985. At the time, they didn’t have an official name for the group. Instead, the album is credited to “Nelson, Jennings, Cash, Kristofferson.” The same was true for their 1990 sophomore release, Highwayman 2. They finally took the Highwaymen name in 1995 with their third LP, The Road Goes on Forever.
Willie Nelson and Lukas Nelson’s Farm Aid Duet of “Just Breathe” Steals the Show in Minneapolis
www.Americansongwriter by: Chris Piner
While most singers eventually walk off the stage one last time, for Willie Nelson, that time may never come. At 92 years old, the country legend showed no signs of slowing down. Since 2023, Willie has released two albums a year. In 2023, he recorded I Don’t Know a Thing About Love and Bluegrass. The next year, it was The Border and Last Leaf on the Tree. In 2025, he released Oh What a Beautiful World. Keeping with the same rhythm, in November, he will release Workin’ Man. And speaking of a working man, Willie recently teamed up with his son, Lukas Nelson, for an unforgettable duet of “Just Breathe.”
Much like his time in the studio, Willie continued to travel the country, sharing his love for music and storytelling. Headlining the 40th annual Farm Aid fundraiser, the icon stopped in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for a night full of singers like Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and even Bob Dylan. But when it came time for Lukas to take the stage, he stood by his father to cover one of Pearl Jam’s hit songs.
Willie Nelson’s Cover Of “Just Breathe” Labeled “Best Contribution To Music”
Originally released on Pearl Jam’s ninth studio album, Backspacer, “Just Breathe” landed No. 1 on the Canada Rock Charts. Eventually finding its way to the US, it hit No. 5 on the US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs.
Besides the charts, “Just Breathe” caught the eye of Willie, who decided to cover it for his 2012 album, Heroes. And discussing the cover, Eddie Vedder compared listening to the rendition to “Smoking a great joint without all the coughing or the smoke.” He even considered it one of the “best contribution to music so far.”
With fans loving the performance with both Willie and Lukas, “Just Breathe” became a heartfelt reminder of family, music, and timeless storytelling.
Sitting onstage at Hersheypark Stadium Saturday (Aug. 9) in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Willie Nelson strummed his trusty guitar “Trigger” as he performed his 1993 song “Still Is Still Moving to Me.”
Off his 1993 album Across the Borderline, the song’s meaning is as murky as its tongue-twister title. “It’s not a love song; it’s not a heartbreak song, or a drinking song, or a cheating song,” Willie’s son, Micah Nelson, said in a 2023 interview with Texas Monthly.
In fact, Micah says, it’s not even really a country song at all. “But it’s got universal . . . It’s relatable in that it’s a song about being a being, like, moving through life, moving through reality, and kind of looking around, and just a person with consciousness trying to figure it out,” the 35-year-old singer-songwriter explained.