Waylon Jennings’ son Shooter has introduced an thrilling venture to commemorate the late nation star, who handed away in 2002. After coming throughout recordings his father made, Shooter — who makes music and produces — has compiled three albums value of unreleased music from the singer-songwriter. The primary is Songbird. The title observe is out now, and it’s a Fleetwood Mac cowl.
“In the summertime of 2024, I started digging by means of and cataloging the tons of of high-resolution multitrack transfers of my father’s private studio recordings,” Shooter started the assertion on social media. He continued:
Having simply began a long-term residency within the legendary Sundown Sound Studio 3, and with the assistance of Nate Haessly, I spent months inspecting these tapes. I hoped that I would discover some recordings that the world had not heard earlier than. What I discovered was an audio file of an extremely profound artist and his legendary band by means of their peak interval of inventive enlargement.
What turned very obvious to me was that my dad was recording continuously together with his band The Waylors between excursions. Simply having gained the David-and-Goliath battle towards RCA for inventive management and inventive freedom, Waylon was awarded the flexibility to file his music on his phrases in his personal studios, together with his touring band, and with out label oversight and with none outdoors affect.
There was simply a lot inside, my thoughts was blown! These weren’t demos, these had been songs that had been reduce with the intention of releasing, and as time went on, not all of them discovered locations on the albums that Waylon and the Waylors had been releasing on the time. And as my dad’s profession went on, and the sound of the mid-to-late 80’s marched on in the direction of a brand new digital recording frontier, these traditional recordings had been put to relaxation.
After getting an thought of what I used to be sitting on, I spotted that there was sufficient right here to make three very particular albums, made for the followers. Though many of the materials was absolutely completed, within the instances of the few songs which may have ‘wanted one thing else’, I introduced in a number of the remaining Waylors (Jerry Bridges, Carter and Barny Robertson and Gordon Payne) to assist me put the ultimate touches on the work. I additionally introduced in my excellent pals Elizabeth Prepare dinner and Ashley Monroe to assist take the title observe to new heights.
I then combined this materials in a purely analog style on the attractive, customized 1976 DeMedio API mixing board that lives in Sundown Sound Studio 3.
Songbird is the start of Waylon’s return to the fashionable world. That is the primary of three items from me to you: the followers which have stored my father’s voice, songs and legacy alive all these years. The following few years are going to be filled with a number of the most enjoyable musical moments that the world by no means knew they had been going to listen to. I hope that these data convey the type of pleasure to you that they’ve introduced me.
This venture has given me a wholly new chapter in my relationship with my father and dealing on this music has introduced an entire new understanding about how, when and why my dad made music. The laborious work is there on the tapes and the eagerness and the soul inside is as alive right this moment because it was the day it was recorded.
Sufficient explaining, simply put the rattling file on… and bear in mind:
Waylon Jennings is Nonetheless The King!
-Shooter Jennings
“Songbird” comes from the 1977 traditional Rumours and was launched because the b-side of “Desires.” Hear Waylon Jennings’ rendition under.
Songbird is out 10/3 through Son Of Jessi/Thirty Tigers. Pre-order it right here.