COUNTRY MUSIC “OUTLAW”
∗ Born June 15, 1937 in Littlefield, Texas; began playing guitar at age 8
∗ Worked as a disc jockey at KVOW in Littlefield; then KDAV and KLLL in Lubbock
∗ Met Lubbock native Buddy Holly in 1958; recorded two songs, produced by Holly, at Norman Petty’s studio in Clovis, New Mexico, where Holly had recorded national hits
∗ Played bass on Holly’s Midwest tour in 1959; famously gave up his seat to the ailing Big Bopper (JP Richardson) on the plane that crashed and killed Holly, Richardson and singer Richie Valens on February 3, 1959
∗ Moved to Coolidge in the early 1960s, where his wife’s sister lived; got a job performing at the Gallopin’ Goose nightclub and played at a drive-in theater between movies; also worked as a disc jockey at KCKY
∗ Moved to Phoenix in (1962); worked as a disc jockey at KHAT, the Valley’s top country music radio station; formed the Waylors band; performed at local clubs including Frankie’s and Wild Bill’s
∗ Moved to Los Angeles in 1963 and recorded nine folk-country tracks for Herb Alpert’s new label A&M; the singles were not successful, although “Four Strong Winds” and “Just To Satisfy You” became country radio hits in Phoenix
∗ Moved back to Phoenix in 1964; helped design JD’s nightclub on Scottsdale Road just north of the Salt River bottom; performed with the Waylors six nights a week for two years as the house band on the country stage upstairs (with room for nearly 900 people) while rock acts played in the smaller venue downstairs; recorded JD’s Waylon Jennings at Audio Recorders in Phoenix and sold the album at shows
∗ Auditioned in Nashville for RCA producer Chet Atkins on the recommendations of Duane Eddy and Bobby Bare, who heard “Just To Satisfy You” on the radio while driving through Phoenix; signed to the label in 1965 and released his first national hit single, “That’s The Chance I’ll Have To Take”
∗ Moved to Nashville and released first RCA album, Folk Country, in 1966, followed by Leavin’ Town (with hit singles “Anita You’re Dreaming,” “Time To Bum Again” and “That’s What You Get For Lovin’ Me”) and the Nashville Rebel movie soundtrack (with the hit “Green River”); produced a string of moderately successful albums and singles over the next five years
∗ Married singer Jessi Colter, ex-wife of Duane Eddy, in Phoenix in 1969; co-produced with Chet Atkins her 1970 debut album, A Country Star Is Born
∗ Became increasingly frustrated with the tight control of the “Nashville sound” approach, which de-emphasized country elements and gave producers artistic control; battled the label over which songs to record and using his own band on records; renegotiated his contract with RCA in 1972 (which feared he would leave the label, like Willie Nelson had recently done), allowing him more artistic freedom
∗ Released Good Hearted Woman in 1972, a key album in the evolution of the “outlaw country” movement; featured songs written by Jennings and like-minded songwriters Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson; album went top 10 and title track was a #3 single; follow-up albums, Ladies Love Outlaws (1972) and Lonesome, On’ry and Mean (1973) also reached the top 10
∗ Released Honky Tonk Heroes in 1973, a sparsely produced album with edgy songs written by then-unknown Texan Billy Joe Shaver, which introduced a new rock ‘n roll swagger into honky tonk music; considered by many to be his best album
∗ Released albums This Time (peaking at #4), whose title track was his first #1 single, and The Ramblin’ Man (#3) in 1974; then produced six consecutive #1 albums: Dreaming My Dream (1975), Are You Ready For The Country (1976), Waylon Live (1976), Ol’ Waylon (1977), I’ve Always Been Crazy (1978), and Greatest Hits (1979)
∗ Featured with Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser on compilation Wanted: The Outlaws, the first Nashville album to be certified platinum (#1 in 1976); collaborated with Willie Nelson on Waylon & Willie (#1 in 1978), and Leather And Lace (#11 in 1982) with Jessi Colter
∗ Released albums What Goes Around Comes Around (#2 in 1979), Music Man (#1 in 1980) and Black On Black (#3 in 1983), followed by It’s Only Rock & Roll (#10 in 1983) and Waylon And Company (#12 in 1983)
∗ Released his final #1 album, Will The Lone Wolf Survive, in 1986
∗ Formed the Highwaymen with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson, and released albums The Highwayman (#1 in 1985) and The Highwayman 2 (#4 in 1990)
∗ Wrote and sang “The Good Ol’ Boys,” theme song to the CBS-TV series The Dukes of Hazzard, and narrated each episode during show’s run (1979-85)
∗ Moved back to Arizona with Jessi Colter during the 1990s
∗ Released final studio album, Full Circle, in 1998; charted 54 albums (including 11 country #1s) and 16 #1 country singles during his career
∗ Died February 13, 2002 from diabetic complications at home in Chandler; buried in the Mesa City Cemetery
∗ Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001; inducted into the Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2005; inducted at Hollywood’s Rock Wall in 2006; given the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award by the Academy of Country Music in 2007
∗ Portrayed by son Shooter in the 2005 Johnny Cash film biography, Walk The Line
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