Born when Waylon was only nineteen, Terry came of age just as Waylon's career hit the stratosphere with hits like "I've Always Been Crazy" and "Good Hearted Woman," one of his famous Willie Nelson duets. Terry dropped out of high school and joined his dad on tour, and the two became more like brothers than father and son. On the road, they toured with legends like Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Jessi Colter, Waylon's fourth and final wife. Together father and son led a hard-partying lifestyle centered around music, women, and drugs.
Waylon's success--critical acclaim, bestselling albums, sold-out tours, and even TV stardom on The Dukes of Hazzard --was at times eclipsed by his demons, three divorces, crippling debt, and a depression that Terry traces to the premature death of Buddy Holly. (Waylon was supposed to be on Holly and Ritchie Valens's doomed flight.) Through it all, Terry worked on the touring crew, helped manage Waylon's career, and became one of his father's closest confidantes. Debunking myths and sharing incredible never-before-told stories, this book is a son's loving and strikingly honest portrait of his father, "the greatest Outlaw country musician to grace this earth" and an unlikely but devoted family man. Tales of My Outlaw Dad will resonate for generations of fans.
Terry Jennings, the oldest child of Waylon Jennings, tells what it was like to grow up with his father—the legend, rebel, outlaw, and country music superstar. Nothing here is surprising about how Waylon lived his life; there was no shortage of drugs, wives, or excess. Waylon hired Terry to work as a roadie, so readers get to see Waylon at home, on the road, in the studio, and we see the unconventional ways he handled the role of father.
I saw several Waylon shows in the ‘70s and ‘80s, so Terry’s time on his dad’s road crew during those years was especially interesting to me. Terry’s specific job was drum technician, but his unofficial duties included doing whatever needed to be done to make the show run smoothly and keep his father satisfied. Although I enjoyed reading about Waylon and his family life—Jessi Colter is an angel—I learned the most about what it took in those days to keep that show on the road.
Two other fascinating factoids: (1.) Shooter Jennings, Waylon and Jessi’s only child, had two godfathers: Johnny Cash and Muhammad Ali. How’s that for some mojo? (2.) In 1975, the nominees for the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year were Waylon, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Ronnie Milsap, and John Denver. When presenter Charlie Rich, obviously inebriated, opened the envelope and read John Denver’s name on the paper, he set fire to it on live television. (You can watch it here on Youtube.)
If you miss Ol’ Waylon as much as I do, this book brings him back to life. I wish it had more insights into his creative genius as a songwriter and musician, but that’s territory maybe someone other than his son can explore.
I received a copy of this for free through Goodreads First Reads
This was absolutely fascinating. I've never been a fan of country music, but always had an interest in the outlaw movement. I never knew how complex of a person that Waylon was, and I would definately recommend this for anyone who enjoys biographies or learning about people from pop culture.
My step-mom even though she was part Apache Indian she was country through/through. Johnny Cash, Waylon Arnold Jennings, Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Roy Clark, Elvis Presley, Everly Brothers, saw every one of these musicians with her in Wyoming.
Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written autobiography book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great autobiography movie, a college PP presentation, or a mini TV series or even a documentary film (A & E, History channel). There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; MakingConnections; Hachette Book; hardcover book Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Waylon ...Tales Of My Outlaw Father by Terry Jennings
The majority of my musical readings are rock n roll. But, I was pleased to win a copy of Terry Waylon's tribute to his father. It was a special privilege to get an honest, loving portrayal of this trailblazer of "The Outlaw" movement.
I saw Waylon on stage in his heyday. I knew only vaguely of drug abuse, failed marriages, but saw a powerful stage presence with his wife, Jessi Colter aboard. At that time, we had to rely on details from magazine, TV and other print media.
So, I definitely appreciated Terry retracing family footsteps with honesty and clarity. There is certainly no glossing over troubled times. I found them informative and the portrait of Waylon could only have been truthfully presented by investigating dark challenges and presenting them candidly.
I am often, but not always, a reader of dedications, introductions and acknowledgements. Don't miss these. They define the landscape of this biography.
I hate to sound like one of those individuals who are always talking about “Back in my day” and how back then things were better, but in some cases it is simply the truth. There are a lot of great performers in today’s country music, but they all lack the edge of performers of old and in some cases, their version of country – the new country music – seems to be treading awfully close to that of ‘pop’ music. Now, that’s not that it can’t be appreciated and enjoyed, but to truly appreciate country music in all its glory, I defy you to do so without going back and exploring the music of Hank Williams, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, and, of course, country music’s pioneer Outlaw – Waylon Jennings.
The late Waylon Jennings has penned his autobiography, and I plan on reading it, but I stumbled across Waylon – Tales of My Outlaw Dad by his son Terry Jennings first and quickly lost myself in this wonderful tribute by a son to his father. Terry, the product of his father’s first marriage, when he was still struggling to make it in the music business, was old enough during the height of his father’s fame and success to have hit the road with him, serving on the road crew.
Waylon – Tales of My Outlaw Dad, is a fun, fast read, but a wonderful novel for those looking for some unique insights into Waylon and his career. Terry addresses one of his father’s greatest regrets, words that haunted him his entire life, when he talks about Waylon’s relationship with fellow Texan Buddy Holly. Waylon was with Buddy on the doomed rock ‘n’ rollers last tour, a winter tour in the Midwest in a bus with a heater that had given out. To escape this horror, and to get a good night’s sleep in a warm bed, Buddy hired a small plane to take him and two others to the next town after playing a show in Clear Lake, Iowa. Waylon was offered a place on that plane and turned it down, whereupon Buddy was to have said to him, something like, “Well, I hope you freeze to death on that bus.” Waylon’s response, the last things he said to his friend, was something along the lines of, “Yeah, well I hope your plane goes down.” Of course the next morning, Waylon discovered the plane did go down, killing the pilot, Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper ( J.P. Richardson) and Ritchie Valens, and making Waylon regret his comment to Buddy for the rest of his life – something that haunted him, but he didn’t talk about, until he eventually addressed it with his son, Terry.
Within the pages of Waylon – Tales of My Outlaw Dad, Terry explores the unique father-son relationship they shared. To put it plainly, Waylon wasn’t your conventional Dad, but had his own way that seemed to work, seemed to fail, and seemed to work again – you know, real life. Terry gives us insights into what it was like touring with his Dad, and we discover, like a few hotels did, that country acts and their road crews can party just as hard as rock ‘n’ roll bands and their road crews; we are given insights into Waylon’s relationship with such country stars as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Jr., and his last wife, country music singer Jessi Colter.
This look at his father’s life is a series of remembrances that never fail to intrigue and entertain. Terry seems to tell it all, warts and all, and despite that, one can’t help walking away from this book with a new appreciation for Waylon Jennings. Of course, the extra benefit of reading a book like this is the fact it encourages you to root through your record collection, pull out those old Waylon albums and put them on the turntable (if you haven’t got any, seek them out). The music is as great as ever, and its only in listening to it that one can fully appreciate the loss of such country greats as Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Jerry Reed and, of course, Waylon Jennings.
Having lost my Father as well, I can appreciate Terry’s desire to write a book paying tribute to his father, his father’s life, and their relationship with one another. I hit the jackpot where father’s were concerned, and although my Dad wasn’t famous, and a book about him wouldn’t attract the same kind of attention, I can appreciate Terry’s motivation and compliment him on doing such a fine job in writing this one. Waylon – Tales of My Outlaw Dad is a MUST read for anyone interested in popular music, and reading about one artist whose legacy and music should never be forgotten.
This is a son Terry Jennings, paying tribute to his Father of this earth, Waylon Jennings. If you love your Dad, if you loved Waylon, you will love this tribute. I understand the life he lived, because my Dad was a long distance truck driver. We have a special, some times difficult relationship with our Dads when they work on the road. My Dad was also my hero. This is a book about his HERO. This is a look into the life of a man who lived most kids dream, knowing your Dad as a friend. Yes, his life was different because he worked HARD for a living for his Dad. But he enjoyed the work and appreciates the blessing he was given. He acknowledges that he knows every adventure and mishap was a Blessing. Thank You for letting us see the life, the stumbles and the side of your Dad, through your eyes. I loved this book because it was written with unconditional love from a son to his unconventional father. I've read Waylon Jennings autobiography, Jessi Colter's book and now Terry's, I gotta say they're an honest bunch. I also am happy that Terry gave credit, where credit was due. God Bless You. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!
Waylon Jennings basically spells Outlaw ! This is terrific read told by Waylon fist son with first wife Terry Jennings. This is true American tale of being a leader ,originator and loving husband with family ideology rooted in the American ethos of keeping it the family. Terry was always very close to dad as road manager and drum tech for many years oh the tales of hardworking musician life when record companies was lucrative and monetizing by keeping bands on the road all the time and when home recording in their studio all ran by family and tight knit crew of friends. Tales of My Outlaw Dad completely debunks all rumors and false myths. Waylon was there with Buddy Holly the night of the winter dance the day when music died but chose to ride on the bus, yes they are friends from Lubbock Texas when Waylon was Radio D.J. If you not a fan of Country this book will open your eyes to say the least , Waylon is original courageous loving and yet ornery man with inspirational music story tales of Outlaw for the books and history to come.
"Tales of My Outlaw Dad" was entertaining, enjoyable and very easy to read. This book would be very easy to breeze through in a day if you have the time. The writing style is very simplistic - very much feels like Terry Jennings is sitting across from you telling you stories about his Dad. While I enjoy the simplistic approach for ease of reading, I felt the book was missing depth in certain areas.
I understand that this is Terry's book, not Waylon's, though I found I didn't get a fully formed view of who Waylon was as a person. It was great to hear about how Waylon & Terry interacted on the road, but I feel like there were many great stories from Waylon that Terry wasn't privy to, perhaps this is good as it will let me find out some new info when I read Waylon's autobiography in the future.
Overall, "Tales of My Outlaw Dad" was a very easy, enthralling read.
This was a really great musician biography from Waylon's eldest. His backstage pass to the meteoric rise of outlaw country has details of Waylon's prodigious cocaine use, cameos from Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, and tales of life on the road during a hectic career in the '70s. Jennings inside view is both very forthcoming and unguarded while exuding a true love and respect for his talented and pioneering father from playing bass in The Crickets "The Day the Music Died" to unilaterally leaving drugs behind to be a better parent.
As a Waylon Jennings fan from way back, I was really looking forward to reading this book especially after reading the comment from Willie Nelson about it. Well, it didn't take long before they got into drinking & drugging, which saddened me. After a while, I began to be horrified by the amount of drugs that were being used by both Waylon and his son, as well as everyone in both the crew and the band. By the end, I was sickened by the whole thing as it seemed that this was all anyone mentioned in the book did. Don't waste your money on this one folks.
Terry Jennings tells the insider story on his dad's meteoric career with a view only he could provide. A roller coaster ride through the years on the road fueled by heavy drug use that built on the talent to make the phenomenon that was Waylon. A great read for the country music fan but also an interesting read on the love of a child for their parent at all costs that reminded me of "Please Be With Me" by Galadrielle Allman about her dad Duane Allman.
The content of this book is pretty interesting, particularly if you were a fan of the Outlaw country movement that Waylon Jennings helped pioneer. There are some great stories about not only the Outlaw movement, but Waylon's early years. The writing style of the book is simultaneously endearing (given it's a son writing about his father) and irritating. It's very matter of fact and almost essay-like. There might be better biographies out there, but not from this perspective. It's a nice read.
Great book From Terry- He just recently passed and feel this was a great ending to the Waylon Era. Im sure it was not easy being an outlaws son. But in the end he embraced it and loved his father so much. I hope he is with his dad now helping them get their sound straight in heaven. Thank you Terry for your final thoughts and story. A must read for any outlaw country fan. I laughed out loud plenty of times. Great book.
Totally enjoyed this book and a peek behind the scenes of the Country Outlaw Waylon Jennings by his son Terry Jennings. This book shows Waylon in the early years, on the road, his struggles and his final years from someone who was there through almost all of it. Terry was Waylons first born son who worked on the road with his father. Terry doesn't sugar coat Waylons life and tells many stories that have never been told before
Terry Jennings is country musician Waylon Jennings' oldest son. He spent some time on the road with his father so got to know him pretty well. It was hard living. A lot of drugs and alcohol and busted up hotel rooms. This is more a memoir about the son than his dad, so there is not a close look at the music. There are other books about Waylon if you want more information on that. The book was published in 2016. Sadly, the author passed away 3 years later.
Waylon Jennings is the absolute coolest that ever was is really the moral of this book, told from the point of view of his son, Terry. I enjoyed this perspective because Terry is a very regular guy who gets a VIP, firsthand account experience with Waylon and casual friends Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Chet Atkinson, Jessi Colter, Muhammad Ali and more, and all the wild stories that come along with them. A really fun read, especially for anyone interested in Outlaw Country.
I'm not big on country music and didn't know anything about Waylon, but I'm a fan of biographies. I liked seeing the good and the bad. It made Waylon seem more like a person. Terry Jennings made me feel like I was there with them and laugh at his dad's interesting take on life.
I am a huge Waylon fan. This book is different from what I usually read. Terry Jennings memoir is mostly a remembrance of parties and cocaine binges as that was what he experienced touring with his father. Terry does tell of the relationship between Jesse and Waylon as he seen it. I think this will complement other books on Waylon and the Outlaws.
Waylon being my favorite I just had to read this book. You get a behind the scenes look into his life on the road through the eyes of his son. There are cool stories in here and tid-bits of information that you won’t find anywhere else. You’ll find out things you never knew about Waylon. It’s like finding lost treasure honestly. I highly recommend if your a fan of Waylon and even if you’re not.
Loved it. But of course I've loved Waylon Jennings for years. Other than him being a country star his personal life and off stage personality could be my late husband's twin. I had I've Always Been Crazy played at his memorial this past April because the lyrics fit him to a tee.
Just finished the book. I listened to Waylon Jennings way back when.. This book showed his life through his son. Who did a exclent job writing this book.