Waylon Arnold Jennings, born June 15, 1937 in Littlefield, Lamb Co., TX; died Feb. 13, 2002 in Chandler, Maricopa Co., AZ from diabetes and related complications; buried at Mesa Cemetery in Maricopa Co., AZ; married 1st Lynne Mitchell; married 2nd Maxine Carroll Lawrence, Dec. 24, 1955 in Clovis, Curry Co., NM; married 3rd Barbara Rood, Oct. 22, 1967; married 4th Jessi Colter, Oct. 26, 1969 in Las Vegas, NV.
Waylon has been described as a Maverick Country Western Singer. He acquired fame for such hits as "I'm a Ramblin' Man" and "Good Hearted Woman." He recorded over 60 albums, and had sixteen No. 1 country singles. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October, 2001. Born in Texas, he started his music career at age 12, and in 1959, he gave up his seat to J.P. Richardson on the plane that carried Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson to their deaths ("The night the music died"), taking a bus instead.
|
| Waylon Jennings & Jessi Colter
|
In the 1970s, Waylon teamed up with Willie Nelson in "Mammas Don't Let your Babies grow up to be Cowboys," "Luckenbach," and "Good Hearted Woman." Many of his early songs had a restless spirit that was used later by Travis Tritt, Charlie Daniels, and others. His resonant voice was used to narrate the TV Show "The Dukes of Hazzard," and he sang the theme song to the show.
He traditionally wore a black cowboy hat and black attire which accented his dark beard and mustache. In his later years, he wore short hair and a trimmed goatee. He won two Grammy awards and four Country Music Association Awards, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Waylon was married four times; he married his last wife, Jessi Colter, in 1969. In his later years, his health caused him problems -- primarily complications from diabetes. Prior to his death, Waylon's left foot was amputated and replaced with a wheel.
For more information, visit The Official Waylon Jennings Web Site
Adopted one known child with Lynne Mitchell:
- Tommy Lynne Jennings, Adopted
Had four known children by Maxine Carroll Lawrence:
- Terry Jennings, born Jan. 21, 1957
- Julie Rae Jennings, born Aug. 12, 1958
- Buddy Jennings, born Mar. 21, 1960
- Deana Jennings
Had one known stepchild by marriage to Barbara Rood:
- Jennifer Jennings, Stepchild
Had one known child by Jessi Colter:
|
| Shooter Jennings
|
- Waylon Albright "Shooter" Jennings, born in 1979; Shooter was given his middle name after his father's drummer, Richie Albright. He got his nickname after urinating on a nurse shortly after birth (as the elder Jennings wrote in his 1996 autobiography). As a teenager he sometimes played in his father's band. Shooter Jennings headlined the hard rock band Stargunn from 1996 to 2003. In 2004, he performed a duet with Hank Williams, Jr. on CMT's Outlaws special. Shooter Jennings released his first solo album, Put the "O" Back in Country, in 2005 and plays his father in the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk the Line. He is the host of Shooter Jennings' Electric Rodeo, a two-hour weekly music show on Sirius Satellite Radio's Outlaw Country channel. He currently dates Drea de Matteo. Shooter Jennings' second solo album "Electric Rodeo" was released on April 04, 2006.
