Jennings Waylon, *15 June 1937 Littlefield (Texas), †13 February 2002 Chandler (Arizona), American singer, guitarist, composer and songwriter of country music. He learned to play the guitar from his father, who was a musician. In 1949, he worked as a radio presenter. In 1958–59, he accompanied Buddy Holly on his recordings as a bassist; in 1958, Jennings ‘ first album, Jole Blon, was released, featuring a combination of rock and roll, Cajun, country music. In the early 1960s, Jennings formed his own band, the Waylors, in Phoenix, which was known for its rockabilly music. In 1965, he released the hit That ‘s the Chance I ‘ll Have to Take, but he struggled to complete his repertoire and recorded irregularly, adopting the attitude of a non-conformist and rebel. In 1969, he made a name for himself with his own version of the song MacArthur Park (Grammy Award). In the 1970s, he collaborated with Jessi Colter (1976 – Can ‘t You See, 1981 – Storms Never Last), Johnny Cash (1978 – There Ain ‘t No Good Chain Gang, 1979 – Wish I Was Crazy Again) and Willie Nelson (1976 – Good Hearted Woman, 1978 – Momas Don ‘t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys, Grammy Award for Best Duo, 1980 – Just to Satisfy You). In 1976, Jennings, his wife Colter, Nelson, and T. Glaser began recording and performing together as The Outlaws (named after their most popular platinum album, Wanted! The Outlaws). Jennings was the creator of so-called progressive country (or outlaw music), which since 1972 had been a protest against the existing musical practices in this field. His innovative interpretations of his own songs had a huge impact on mainstream country music in the late 1970s, and many country-rock musicians drew on their style and sound. As an actor, he appeared in films such as Nashville Rebel (1966), Moonrunners (1975), Mackintosh and T. J. (1976), the television version of Stagecoach (1986), Maverick (1994). His original recording of the song The Dukes of Hazzard and his constant verbal commentary contributed to the exceptional popularity of this TV series (1979–1985, 147 episodes). In 1987, Jennings released his autobiographical album A Man Called Hoss. Hits: Only Daddy That‘ll Walk the Line, This Time, I’m a Ramblin‘ Man, Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way, Luckenbach, Texas, The Wurlitzer Prize, I’ve Always Been Crazy, Amanda, Come with Me, I Ain’t Living Long Like This, Lucille, Conversation (duet with Hank Williams Jr.), Drinkin‘ and Dreamin‘, Rose in Paradise, Suspicious Minds, Good Hearted Woman, Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys, Highwayman (with Cash, Nelson and Kris Kristofferson), Will the Wolf Survive, Rough and Rowdy Days, If Ole Hank Could Only See Us Now. In 2017, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Jennings seventh in its list of the 100 greatest country artists.
