Illustration by A.J. Smuskiewicz
Original photographs of Waylon taken in Chicago in August 1979 (left and below) and July 1985 (right).
Click here to see another illustration and more photographs of Waylon Jennings.
Click here to read a 1976 biography about Waylon.
Click here to read a 1979 interview with Waylon.
Click here for original Waylon wallpaper to download to your desktop.
I have long admired Waylon Jennings' artistic integrity, his refusal to make compromises in his music, and his incredible creative talent as a singer, guitarist, and songwriter. His independent attitude has always been an inspiration to me. Here are (in my estimation) Waylon's best albums, along with the finest songs on those albums. The three albums I recommend most are Honky Tonk Heroes, Dreaming My Dreams, and Waylon Live.
The Taker/Tulsa - 1971 RCA (includes The Taker, Lovin' Her Was Easier Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again, Mississippi Woman)
Good Hearted Woman - 1972 RCA (includes Good Hearted Woman, Sweet Dream Woman, Willie and Laura Mae Jones)
Ladies Love Outlaws - 1972 RCA (includes Ladies Love Outlaws, Never Been To Spain, Crazy Arms)
Lonesome, On'ry and Mean - 1973 RCA (includes Lonesome, On'ry and Mean, Freedom To Stay, You Can Have Her, Pretend I Never Happened, Me and Bobby McGee)
Honky Tonk Heroes - 1973 RCA (includes Honky Tonk Heroes, Old Five and Dimers, Ain't No God In Mexico, Black Rose, Ride Me Down Easy)
This Time - 1974 RCA (includes This Time, Louisiana Women, Slow Rollin' Low, Slow Movin' Outlaw)
The Ramblin' Man - 1974 RCA (includes I'm A Ramblin' Man, Rainy Day Woman, Midnight Rider, Amanda)
Dreaming My Dreams - 1975 RCA (includes Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way, Waymore's Blues, High Time, Let's All Help The Cowboys Sing The Blues, Dreaming My Dreams)
Are You Ready For The Country - 1976 RCA (includes Are You Ready For The Country, Them Old Love Songs, Jack A Diamonds, Can't You See)
Waylon Live - 1976 RCA (includes T For Texas, The Last Letter, Bob Wills Is Still The King, House Of The Rising Sun) * An excellent 2-CD "Expanded Edition" of this album was released by BMG Heritage in 2003, with such great songs as Stop The World and Let Me Off, Donna On My Mind, Big Ball In Cowtown, and Big Big Love. *
Ol' Waylon - 1977 RCA (includes Luckenbach, Texas, Belle Of The Ball, Till I Gain Control Again)
Wanted! The Outlaws - 1977 RCA (includes My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys, Suspicious Minds, Good Hearted Woman)
Waylon & Willie - 1978 RCA (includes Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys, Lookin' For A Feeling, The Wurlitzer Prize)
I've Always Been Crazy - 1978 RCA (includes I've Always Been Crazy, Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out Of Hand, Medley of Buddy Holly Hits, Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down)
I Would Like to See You Again - 1978 Columbia * This is a Johnny Cash album featuring two great duets with Waylon - There Ain't No Good Chain Gang and I Wish I Was Crazy Again. *
What Goes Around Comes Around - 1979 RCA (includes I Ain't Living Long Like This, Another Man's Fool, I Got The Train Sittin' Waitin', Come With Me)
Greatest Hits - 1979 RCA (includes Honky Tonk Heroes, Lonesome, On'ry and Mean, Amanda, Good Hearted Woman, I'm A Ramblin' Man, Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way)
Music Man - 1980 RCA (includes Clyde, Theme From the Dukes Of Hazzard, Nashville Wimmin, Waltz Across Texas)
Black On Black - 1982 RCA (includes Women Do Know How To Carry On, Just To Satisfy You, Shine)
Will The Wolf Survive - 1986 MCA (includes Will The Wolf Survive, Working Without A Net, I've Got Me A Woman, The Devil's Right Hand)
Highwayman 2 - 1990 Columbia (includes Silver Stallion, Born and Raised In Black and White, Angels Love Bad Men)
Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line: The RCA Years - 1993 * A 40-song collection of Waylon's best performances during his 1965-1985 RCA years, from Nashville Bum to You Asked Me To to Never Could Toe The Mark *
Waymore's Blues (Part II) - 1994 RCA (includes Waymore's Blues Part II, Up In Arkansas, Wild Ones, Nobody Knows I'm Elvis, You Don't Mess Around With Me)
Closing In On The Fire - 1998 Ark 21 (includes Closing In On The Fire, Back Home Where I Come From, Easy Money, The Blues Don't Care)
Never Say Die Live - 2000 Sony/Lucky Dog (includes Never Say Die, Nothing Catches Jesus By Surprise, Goin' Down Rockin')
Legendary Waylon Jennings - 2001 * This is a nice 3-CD package by BMG Australia with some of the best songs from Waylon's career, including Anita You're Dreaming, Brown-Eyed Handsome Man, Storms Never Last (with Jessi Colter), Lucille You Won't Do Your Daddy's Will, The Conversation (with Hank Williams, Jr.), and Whatever Happened To The Blues. *
TRIBUTE ALBUMS:
I've Always Been Crazy - A Tribute To Waylon Jennings - 2003 RCA (featuring Travis Tritt, Dwight Yoakam, Jessi Colter, Hank Williams Jr., Alison Krauss, Stargunn, others; also Waylon singing The Dream)
Lonesome, On'ry and Mean - A Tribute to Waylon Jennings - 2003 Dualtone (featuring Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, Jack Clement, Junior Brown, Kris Kristofferson, The Crickets, others)
I'm One Of You - 2003 Curb Records * This is a Hank Williams, Jr. album featuring a wonderful tribute song to Waylon called Waylon's Guitar. *
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