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Waylon: An Autobiography
Waylon Jennings relates the story of his life as a country music star. His beginnings were poor but he became Buddy Holly's protege before sinking into drug abuse and 3 failed marriages. His success came when he met his present wife, Jessi Colter.
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Even though for years I was more into rock and jazz (though I've made many excursions into classic country, bluegrass, and alt-country), I've always listed Waylon Jennings "Dreamin' My Dreams" as one of my all-time favorite discs and probably one of the best-produced discs of all time. I stand by that opinion. I think producer Jack Clements helped capture not only a specific feeling and sound on that disc but the sort of both raw and polished creativity that rarely gets laid down on any recordin
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When I was looking at reading this book I read somewhere that someone said this book was almost like sitting down with Waylon and having him tell his life story over a few beers. That actually fits quite well. Waylon was one of the first to really break the conventenial country music barriers mainly because he wanted to play the music as he felt it. This tells all of his struggles as he went through those barriers and broke through Nashvilles walls into a new label known now as outlaw country. W
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I'm a super big Waylon fan, and got this book for Christmas. I put off starting it in part because I worried his voice might not translate well to prose. I needn't have worried. This is all Waylon, all the time. I cried at the vulnerability he showed about his time with Buddy Holly... shudder a bit at the quantity of pills he ingested... and laugh and shake my head at the in-your-face attitude in the early days in Nashville. This is one I'll be sad to finish... just as I'm sad we lost this "Amer
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This is a well written and entertaining as told to autobiography of Waylon Jennings and has all you would expect from a Waylon biography if you are familiar with his music and life. More often than not, even if they make great music, most musicians are phony narcistic human beings. Waylon is a guy thats hard not to like and I enjoy his music. I wish he was still around.
Waylon Jennings was always my favorite country music performer. When I sought out biographies of him, I was disappointed by the selections. Thus, I placed this autobiography on my Christmas wish list, and my mother-in-law gifted me a copy.
An autobiography has certain advantages and disadvantages over a biography. In the latter category, there’s the loss of objectivity and the unreliability of memory. As compensation, however, the reader receives a more personal – and often more engaging – accoun ...more
An autobiography has certain advantages and disadvantages over a biography. In the latter category, there’s the loss of objectivity and the unreliability of memory. As compensation, however, the reader receives a more personal – and often more engaging – accoun ...more
A good read if you are interested in this artist. It begins slowly, and Waylon's colloquial writing style often irritates at first, but I felt real emotion in some of his more intense stories.
I did not realize that he was so close with Buddy Holly. He described Buddy, at the time of his death, as his best friend and states that he slipped in to a deep depression for two years following the plane crash. This section deals with the survivor's guilt that he experienced and was perhaps one of the ...more
I did not realize that he was so close with Buddy Holly. He described Buddy, at the time of his death, as his best friend and states that he slipped in to a deep depression for two years following the plane crash. This section deals with the survivor's guilt that he experienced and was perhaps one of the ...more
This is a pretty good account written by the man himself. It covers Waylons days on the farm growing up, his short time with Buddy Holly, his career long battle with pills/drugs on the way to becoming a country legend, and his life after he kicked the habit by staying out in the desert for a month. This book is written by Waylon so the way he talks/writes is a reflection of the way that he actually talked and rembered things so the account can get a little confusing when the down home country ac
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FULL DISCLOSURE. I was thinking of Merle Haggard when I put this on my to-read list. So, not quite the same thing but still.
One of my favorite genres is musical biography and usually of bands or musicians I am not a super fan of. This falls into the category.
There isn't anything remarkable about it. It's just one guy's story of being in the music business. There's drugs and failed marriages and tour bus jokes and everything you would really want from it. It's told in casual tones like Waylon is ...more
One of my favorite genres is musical biography and usually of bands or musicians I am not a super fan of. This falls into the category.
There isn't anything remarkable about it. It's just one guy's story of being in the music business. There's drugs and failed marriages and tour bus jokes and everything you would really want from it. It's told in casual tones like Waylon is ...more
I love a good biography or autobiography, and this one was one from a personal hero. It did not disappoint. Waylon didn't try to make himself into Superman; he allowed the reader to see the good and the bad together, and Lenny Kaye shaped it into a blast to read. Awesome stuff, highly recommended.
3.5 star. Decent read for a music book. Mostly reads like you're sitting there having old Waylon tell you his story. Definitely would recommend.
This was a decent autobiography with a fast-paced, engaging narrative. I found it entertaining and informative from the early years forward and the story really never ever slowed down. This was pretty quick reading.
I sure do love me some Waylon. He is a funny guy and I never realized how close him and Buddy Holly were. I really loved hearing about Buddy Holly as well and it made me sad with how Waylon felt about Buddy's passing.
One of the best very best autobiographies (and one of the better biographies) I've ever read. Waymore had a fascinating life, and he tells it all in a down-to-earth and engaging style.
Even if you're not a fan, Waylon's tale of the rockabilly era of the fifties to the drug addled 70s and beyond is a fun read. The guy's actually hilarious, may he rest in peace.
This book was a gift from a client for whom I'd created "El Rancho Waylon," a site for fans of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter (a classmate, Mirriam Johnson of Mesa, Arizona)
You could almost hear Waylon's voice telling you his story himself. A good read that I really enjoyed.
Loved hearing Waylon's voice while reading this. Colorful anecdotes. Interesting history.
he has some helpful things to say about songwriting, and that whole process...
The evolution of the wild man Waylon Jennings. A great read...
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