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Country Throwback: Waylon Jennings’ Grandson Dedicates Live Performance to Grandfather in 2016

In February 2016, Waylon Jennings’ grandson, Whey, would pay tribute to the man who helped him discover his love for music when he dedicated a performance to his late grandfather. 

Using only his voice, Whey performed the appropriately titled, “Missing You,” which included some tear-jerking lyrics. 

I would be lyin’ if I were to say, ‘You don’t cross my mind from day to day.’

Grampa Waylon, I’m missin’ you.

You were my hero, the one I looked up to.

You were an outlaw, but you were my grandpa too.

Your voice led me to mine and I hope mine will lead me to you.

When the highly-emotional song came to an end, the audience erupted by cheering and screaming, “Waylon!” As a result, Jennings’ memory lives on in Whey’s raspy, rough outlaw voice that his grandfather would be proud of.

Waylon Jennings’ Son’s Tell-All Book About Outlaw Family

Before Jennings passed away in 2002, his eldest child, Terry, decided to write a book about their time together. As a way to share a glimpse of Jennings as a father, he wrote Waylon: Tales of My Outlaw Dad. In the book, readers learn details of the family, Jennings’ divorces, and finding a lifelong partnership with his wife, Jessi Colter.

The book also recounts Terry following in his father’s footsteps and how that helped him live a colorful life. At 15-years-old, Terry dropped out of high school to tag along with his father as he toured on the road. Terry began selling t-shirts during Jennings’ tours as a way to help out. Eventually, he worked his way up, becoming drummer Richie Albright’s tech and stage manager. However, he began to emulate his outlaw father’s lifestyle, which included heavy partying and chasing girls.

Later, Terry had children of his own and passed along the family’s musical gene. His oldest son, Whey, fell in love with music after growing up around his “Grampa” Waylon’s shows. 

Later, Whey would continue Jennings’ outlaw country legacy when he turned his love for music into a full-time gig. 

“He was just a boy at one of his Grampa Waylon’s shows and his Grama Jessi had just left the stage after singing ‘Storms Never Last’ when she sat her mic in the chair backstage,” his band’s Facebook page states. 

“Young Whey picked up the mic and pranced out on stage and began singing ‘Mama’s Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.’ His’ Grampa then gave a, ‘Hey, hold up there hoss, wait for me’ and went to pickin’ and when the song was thru the crowd went nuts and it was on that day that Whey fell in love with music.”