Waylon Jennings Albums Ranked

Waylon Arnold Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as one of the founding pioneers of the Outlaw Movement. Jennings formed a rockabilly club band, The Waylors, which became the house band at “JD’s”, a club in Scottsdale, Arizona. He recorded for independent label Trend Records and A&M Records but did not achieve success until moving to RCA Victor, taking on Neil Reshen as a manager, who negotiated significantly better touring and recording contracts for him. He toured less after 1997 to spend more time with his family. Between 1999 and 2001, his appearances were limited by health problems. In 2001, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2007, he was posthumously awarded the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award by the Academy of Country Music. Here are all Waylon Jennings albums. ranked

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10. Are You Ready For The Country (1976)

“Except for the title song, this is a very mellow Waylon. My favorite track is MacArthur Park, which has been called by one notable the worst song ever written, but I think Waylon’s version is way better than the original. My least favorite track is the title song, and I’m darned if I can figure out why it became the album title. This album should appeal to anyone who likes popular music.”

9. The Ramblin’ Man (1974)

“Waylon Jennings’ The Ramblin’ Man is a well penned collection of songs, both those written by Waylon and authored by others. If current country music sounded like this I would be inclined to listen to the country radio stations around here a lot closer to regularly (But that ain’t happening with this old alternative listener). Chances are if you’re reading this you’re already somewhat familiar with Waylon Jennings; in that case this is one of his best albums, with, in my opinion, the song I Can’t Keep My Hands Off You being the weakest to be found here, and it’s pretty good. There is also a very cool countrified version of the Allman Brother’s classic Midnight Rider.”

8. Waymore’s Blues (Part 2) (1994)

“The Don Was produced Waymore’s Blues (Part II) is easily the best Waylon album of recent years (although 1998’s “Closing In on the Fire” was excellent and even “Right for the Time” was better than anything on country radio today). Among the outstanding tracks are “This Train (Russell’s Song)”, “Wild Ones”, “Old Timer”, “Nobody Knows (I’m Elvis)”–a pure rock and roll song if you’ll ever hear one, and “Come Back and See Me”. The final track “You Don’t Mess Around With Me” was part of the soundtrack to the movie “Maverick”.

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7. Ol’ Waylon (1977)

“The first song. Lukenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) gets the ball rolling nicely and is a perfect vehicle for Waylon’s voice. From that point on that album stays true to its roots. All of the songs fit nicely within the body of work and it gives a well-rounded picture of the man from ballads like Lucille to the rockin’ revival feel of Satin Sheets, a song that sounds, in parts, like it could have been co-written by Elton John. Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline fits in nicely and is an interesting twist on the original.”

6. The Taker/Tulsa (1971)

“Waylon released this album in 1971, right before his best so-called “outlaw” albums were recorded. It is less stripped down than those albums and Waylon’s grit is smoothed out a bit. As a result, many exploring Waylon’s prime recordings miss this one. But it is a stone cold classic. All the songs are great, but Waylon’s versions of the Taker, Mississippi Woman, Lovin’ Her Was Easier and Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down are brillant.”

5. Love Of The Common People (1967)

“Waylon has sung about lying woman and bottles of whiskey and trucks and bar fights. Here he delves deeper in his soul like I have never heard before on any waylon album. One listen to The Road or Love of the Common People convinces me than Waylon felt these lyrics deeply. The new waylon, at his outlaw best, would not have given a rat’s BEE-hind about sounding convincing on a lyric, because he WAS the lyric and had become it, even before he sung it. He was a ramblin’ man. He didn’t have to convince you of that and so his level of interest in delivering a lyric on those songs were somewhere in between couldn’t give a **** and I wish you would say something. Here he convinces you. That’s the difference.”

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4. Lonesome, On’ry And Mean (1973)

“This starts off with a country rocker called Lonesome On’Ry and Mean one of my favorite Waylon songs I just love how he trades off soloing with his fender telecaster and the steel guitar player. The next song Freedom to Stay always puts a lump in my throat. He is one of the best story tellers of all time.”

3. Waylon Live (1976)

“This is the Waylon you love to hear! His live sessions really do come alive, everybody seems to be playing their best and the sound full of depth. Here are 42 of his best songs including your favorite ones. His Expanded version, over the first released one of 11 songs is much preferable, with great remastering sound. This album is even better than just a “favorites” studio album and includes the ones you’re most familiar with…”I’m a Ramblin Man”, “Rainy Day Woman”, “Good Hearted Woman”, “This Time”, part of first disc…”Just To Satisfy You”, “Me and Bobby McGee”, and great “House of the Rising Sun” on 2nd disc, along with so many others.”

2. Dreaming My Dreams (1975)

“Dreaming My Dreams is the best Waylon Jennings ever got. After that, while there were other good songs and records, superstardom and the abuse of substances took their toll, and many of the songs — especially the hits — got ever more cartoonish and self-referential in the Hank Williams, Jr., vein. But before Jennings lost his artist’s grip, there was this, as well as the earlier Honky Tonk Heroes, his enduring tribute to Billy Joe Shaver’s songwriting genius. Dreaming My Dreams, which manages to fuse honkytonk grit, rock’n’roll rhythm, and folk melodicism, sounds like no other country album ever made.”

1. Honky Tonk Heroes (1973)

“Honky Tonk Heroes is undoubtedly a massive part of Waylon’s legacy. It was arguably his most revolutionary album, and the quality of the music is simply unbelievable. It holds up to this day as well as it did when it first hit the shelves. An album that belongs in everybody’s home.”