Waylon Jennings

Waylon Jennings (1937-2002) was the architect of outlaw country, the movement that wrestled Nashville's creative control away from the industry and put it back in the hands of artists. Born in Littlefield, Texas, he played bass for Buddy Holly and was supposed to be on the fatal 1959 flight before giving up his seat. He signed to RCA in the 1960s but chafed under producer Chet Atkins's Nashville Sound formula. By the mid-1970s, Jennings had negotiated complete creative control of his records — the first major country artist to do so. His 1973 album Lonesome, On'ry and Mean and 1976's Wanted! The Outlaws (with Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser) were landmarks of the outlaw movement. His 1953 Fender Telecaster, known as Lucky Ol' Sun, remains one of the most iconic guitars in country music history.