Shooter Jennings, son of outlaw country icons Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, has made a big announcement that will keep his father’s legacy alive in a remarkable way. After searching through archives and discovering a slew of previously unreleased recordings from his late father, Shooter has revealed that fans will finally be able to hear it for themselves this fall.
On Sunday, June 15, in celebration of Father’s Day, and what would have been Waylon Jennings’ 88th birthday, the two-time Grammy nominee declared that a previously unheard Waylon album titled Songbird, is slated for release on Oct. 3. This project marks the first of three unheard Waylon Jennings albums that Shooter unearthed and finished alongside members of his father’s original band.
Title Track, “Songbird,” Out Now
He celebrated the major news by sharing the title track, a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird.” The new version of the tune featuring Ashley Monroe and Elizabeth Cook, alongside Waylon’s iconic vocals. The song also highlights members of Waylon’s original lineup, Richie Albright, Ralph Mooney, Jerry Bridges, Barny Robertson and Gordon Payne.
In his first message to fans, Shooter explained that several of these forthcoming releases were nearly complete, but needed a few finishing touches before being shown to the world. He proudly took on that role, making it his mission to bring these hidden gems to light while honoring his father’s legacy.
He wrote, “I’ve been waiting so long to share this with you. It hasn’t been an easy road to get here, but it’s been one that has given me a new purpose in life. I dug through my dad’s old tapes and found a plethora of music by Waylon and the band at the peak of their abilities. For the stuff that wasn’t totally finished, I brought out four of the remaining original members of his band to put the finishing touches on it.”
The post was paired with a compilation of videos documenting the process of completing each of these three albums.
“Waylon Jennings is STILL THE KING!” he added to the very end of the message.
Shooter Shares A Look Inside The Process
In a second post, Shooter shared a much longer letter in which he explained how he stumbled upon this collection of unreleased music and discovered a newfound inspiration to help carry on his dad’s work that had been left behind.
“Songbird is just the beginning of Waylon’s return to the modern world. This is the first of three gifts from me to you,” he wrote. “The fans have kept my father’s voice, songs and legacy alive all these years. The next few years are going to be full of some of the most exciting musical moments that the world never knew they were going to hear. I hope these records bring the kind of joy to you that they have brought me.”
He went on to say how this journey has given him the chance to reconnect with his late father and understand just how dedicated he was to his work. The projects were finalized at Sunset Sound Studio 3 in Los Angeles, CA.
Waylon Jennings’ Outlaw Legacy
Waylon Jennings, a Littlefield, Texas-born native died Feb. 13, 2002 at age 64. His death was due to complications from diabetes. Waylon’s last record during his lifetime came in 1998 with Closing in on the Fire and several posthumous releases following after his passing.
For Shooter Jennings, these forthcoming albums are more than just collections of leftover recordings. These songs serve as a loving tribute from a son to his father and a way to keep the legacy of one of country music’s greatest pioneers of the outlaw country era alive in the hearts of fans around the world.
The post Shooter Jennings To Honor His Father With The Release Of Three Previously Unheard Waylon Jennings Albums appeared first on Country Now.