WAYLON JENNINGSAfter narrowly escaping death in his early 20s, WaylonJennings – who died on 13 February, 2002, aged 64 – became one of the mostpopular and influential exponents of country-rock "crossover" music.When he was 21, the young singer went on the infamous WinterDance Party tour with Buddy Holly and the Crickets. He was scheduled to fly tothe next concert date but kindly gave he seat to J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson who wasill. The plane crashed shortly after take-off, killing Mr Richardson, Buddy Hollyand Ritchie Valens.It took Mr Jennings several years to get his promising career back on track. In a career spanningfive years, the singer recorded 60 albums and had 16 No. 1 country singles.Waylon Arnold Jennings was born on 15 June, 1937, in Littlefield, Texas.At the age of eight, he taught himself to play the guitarand formed his first band two years later. He dropped out of high school topursue his ambitions as a musician.In 1958 he moved to Lubbock, Texas, and made guest appearanceson a local radio station where he met Buddy Holly. He produced Mr Jenning's first single, a version of JoleBlon, and used him as a bass player in his band, The Crickets.Whilst on tour in February 1959, Mr Jennings gave up his place on Buddy Holly’ssmall-chartered plane to J.P Richardson who was suffering from flu and didn’t wantto go by bus. Prior to take off, he jokingly said to Mr Holly: "I hope yourol' plane crashes." It was a comment that would haunt him for the rest ofhis life.After getting over the shock, Mr Jennings began recording and performing in Phoenix, Arizona. He played two or threeshows a night, sometimes six nights a week. There was folk, rock, pop, countryR&B and Blues, making him a popular outfit.In search of greater success, he moved to Nashville ,where he met and shared an apartment with Johnny Cash. His talents werethwarted by Nashville Sounds, whose producers chose the songs to berecorded thus limitingartistic freedom.Together with Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, he wentindependent and produced his own recordings with his own band. From then on, he had No.1 hitswith This Time (1974)and Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?toname just two.In themid-80s, he formed a successful group, The Highwaymen,with Mr Cash and others. But he still releasednumerous singles on his own, including Will the Wolf Surviveand The Eagle.Outside music, Jennings made film appearances in the Nashville Rebel, Oklahoma CityDollsand Mel Gibson’s Maverick. As founder of the “outlaw” movement which broke awayfrom the shackles of the Nashville system, Mr Jennings ’s contributionto country-rock was significant. The Outlawswascountry’s first platinum album.Donned in his traditional black cowboy hat, hisdeep, distinctive voice was unmistakable. In Britain, he was the voice ofpopular TV series The Dukes of Hazzardand also recorded its theme tune.Although extensively touring the USA, hismodesty meant he often didn’t turn up to awards ceremonies. He believedthat music was not about competition.Mr Jennings “had a voice and a way with a song like no one else,” said country star EmmylouHarris. “He was also a class act as an artist and a man.”
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