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Biography

In the grand tapestry of Neil Young's endlessly restless career, few collaborations have felt as organically vital as his partnership with Promise of the Real, the California roots-rock outfit that has served as his primary backing band since 2014. What began as a chance encounter between rock's eternal wanderer and a group of young musicians barely out of their teens has evolved into one of the most enduring and creatively fertile alliances of Young's later period.

Promise of the Real emerged from the sun-baked sprawl of Los Angeles in 2008, founded by brothers Lukas and Micah Nelson – sons of country legend Willie Nelson – alongside bassist Corey McCormick and drummer Anthony LoGerfo. The band cut their teeth on the LA club circuit, developing a sound that seamlessly blended their Americana DNA with psychedelic flourishes and a punk rock urgency that belied their youth. Their early recordings showcased a group unafraid to stretch beyond genre constraints, incorporating everything from reggae rhythms to arena-rock bombast.

The fateful meeting between Young and Promise of the Real occurred in 2014 at Willie Nelson's annual Fourth of July Picnic. Young, ever the talent scout for kindred spirits, was immediately struck by the band's raw energy and musical telepathy. Within months, they were in the studio together, crafting what would become "The Monsanto Years," a blistering critique of corporate agriculture that found Young's political fire perfectly matched by the band's muscular, uncompromising sound.

This wasn't merely a case of a veteran artist seeking younger blood to revitalize his sound – Promise of the Real brought their own distinct musical personality to the partnership. Lukas Nelson's guitar work proved particularly complementary to Young's own six-string explorations, capable of both delicate fingerpicking and face-melting solos that could match the master blow for blow. The rhythm section of McCormick and LoGerfo provided the kind of locked-in groove that allowed Young's famously extended jams to breathe and develop organically.

The collaboration truly hit its stride with 2016's "Earth," a bold multimedia project that combined concert footage with environmental imagery to create Young's most ambitious statement on climate change. The album showcased the band's ability to handle both Young's gentler folk material and his more explosive rockers with equal conviction. Their live performances during this period were nothing short of incendiary, with Young clearly energized by his young collaborators' enthusiasm and skill.

"The Visitor" followed in 2017, finding the partnership at its most politically charged. Songs like "Already Great" and "Fly By Night Deal" saw Young's anti-Trump sentiments backed by Promise of the Real's most aggressive playing to date. The album proved that this wasn't just a nostalgic exercise – Young and his collaborators were creating urgent, contemporary music that spoke directly to the moment's anxieties and frustrations.

Beyond their studio work, Neil Young and Promise of the Real have become a formidable live act, their concerts stretching into marathon affairs that can encompass everything from solo acoustic numbers to extended electric workouts that recall Young's legendary performances with Crazy Horse. The band's youth and stamina have clearly inspired Young, now well into his seventies, to push himself physically and creatively in ways that seemed unlikely just a decade ago.

The partnership has also provided Promise of the Real with invaluable exposure and credibility. Lukas Nelson, in particular, has emerged as a significant artist in his own right, contributing to film soundtracks and building his own following while maintaining his commitment to the Young collaboration. The band's association with the Canadian icon has opened doors throughout the music industry while allowing them to maintain their artistic integrity.

Perhaps most remarkably, this intergenerational alliance has avoided the pitfalls that often plague such collaborations. Rather than simply serving as a backing band for Young's vision, Promise of the Real have become true creative partners, contributing arrangements and ideas that have pushed Young in new directions. Their influence can be heard in the increased prominence of groove and rhythm in his recent work, elements that complement rather than compromise his legendary guitar sound.

As Young continues to tour and record with Promise of the Real, their partnership stands as testament to music's power to bridge generational divides. In an era of manufactured collaborations and calculated crossovers, Neil Young and Promise of the Real represent something increasingly rare – a genuine musical brotherhood built on mutual respect, shared values, and an uncompromising commitment to the transformative power of rock and roll.