Waylon Jennings Dies

Country Music Hall of Famer and "Posterboy" for the outlaw movement, Waylon Jennings, died at his Arizona home Wednesday at the age of 64. Jennings underwent heart surgery in the mid-80s and his health had been steadily waning. He was diagnosed with diabetes, which made walking in recent years difficult. An infection in his left foot led to an amputation in December. Kris Kristofferson, friend and fellow singer, said Jennings was "an American archetype, the bad guy with a big heart." Singer Johnny Cash said in a statement on Wednesday, "Waylon was a dear friend, one of the very best of 35 years. I’ll miss him immensely."

Jennings was born in Littlefield, Texas in 1937 and started his own band by the time he was twelve. At seventeen, he was deejaying in Lubbock, Texas where he met up with a local boy named Buddy Holly. Holly showed Jennings some guitar chords and also produced Jennings’ first single, "Jole Blon" and co-wrote "You’re the One." Jennings was filling in on bass for Buddy Holly’s final tour in 1958-59. Ironically, Jennings’ was to be on the doomed flight carrying Holly and Ritchie Valens, but gave up his seat to J.P. Richardson (the Big Bopper) who did not want to travel by bus when he came down with a cold. All aboard were killed when the plane crashed in a snowstorm. Jennings’ career had a slow progression when he refused to be formed into a "Nashville slickster." He had 16 number-one country hits including "I’m a Ramblin Man," "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way," "Walk on Out of My Mind," and "Amanda." He won a Grammy in 1969 for his collaboration on "MacArthur Park" with the Kimberlys.

One of Jennings’ best known hits, "Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grown Up to Be Cowboys" was the result of a songwriting and recording partnership with Willie Nelson. He was also well known as the narrator and ballad singer on The Dukes of Hazzard. He had a five-decade and 60-plus album career and never became "Nashville mainstream." Instead he was a posterboy for the "outlaw movement" and was known for his black clothes, hats and scraggly appearance. He formed the Highwaymen with friends Cash, Nelson and Kristofferson, which produced three records, some TV movies and a hit single "Highwayman." Despite his ailing health, Jennings was set for a tour in the spring. He was also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October, but refused to attend. This country legend is survived by his fourth wife (of 32 years) and their son, Shooter.