In Knight of Hearts, Rachel is a fan of Outlaw Country, which includes artists like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Charlie Daniels, and Johnny Cash. These are more than just Big Name Artists. They're legendary and as such, they deserve individual attention.
Even if you're not a country fan, you still might know Waylon's voice, because he both voiced the narrator and sang the theme song for The Dukes of Hazard.
By only a stroke of luck though did we get to know Waylon. He recorded his first song in 1958 but continued to play in Buddy Holly's band. During a 1959 tour, he gave up his seat on a plane to the Big Bopper. That ill-fated plane crashed, killing not only the Bopper, but Buddy Holly, and Ritchie Valens.
Like many of the older country musicians, music videos weren't part of Waylon's career. There are videos of live performances, but I opted for this version because I couldn't find a performance video that included the female vocal in the background. Maybe that's a minor point for some, but it adds a poignancy that moves me, and I didn't want you to miss it. And for me, including the song Amanda is a no brainer. One of the most beautiful love ballads ever.
Waylon didn't just occasional sing duets. For one album, a group called The Outlaws formed, consisting of Waylon, his wife Jessi Colter, Willie Nelson, and Tompall Glaser. He partnered for a couple of albums with Willie Nelson, including the Grammy Award winning album Waylon & Willie.
As if that wasn't enough, Waylon and Willie joined forces with two more country legends, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, to form the band The Highwaymen. This was never what one would call a big career move. More like an excuse for the four friends to play together.
Waylon put out some great music and I'm so glad we got the chance to know him.
I've known about his career for a long while, though it's not usually the kind of music I listen to. I do remember the Highwaymen side project he was in on.
ReplyDeleteWhat timing, not getting on the same plane with the Big Bopper and company....