Waylon Jennings Unheard Music Released
Waylon Jennings’ legacy endures through the songs he wrote and recorded.
Marking what would have been Waylon Jennings’ 88th birthday on June 15, 2025, his son Waylon Albright Jennings, better known as Shooter, first revealed that three never-before-heard records from the late legend would release last fall.
Shooter enlisted the help of some notable musicians to put the finishing touches on the newly discovered recordings. Four of the original members of The Waylors, as well as musicians Ashley Monroe and Elizabeth Cook, lent their talents to the project.
The first of the three albums, titled Songbird, was released on October, 3rd, 2025. You can learn more about that project below.
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Shooter Jennings Explains The Backstory Behind Waylon’s New Music Release
Shooter says he was inspired to release the songs after experiencing a “life-altering” moment in 2024 that changed his perspective and motivated him to share his father’s music.
“Back in 2024 when I opened my dad’s personal recording archives, I found a treasure trove of unheard recordings. It was a life-altering event and immediately ignited a feeling of urgency to get these recordings out there to our family of fans who had so loyally kept him alive by listening to and singing his music,” Shooter explains.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Shooter himself released his debut album Put the “O” Back in Country in 2005, featuring the song “4th of July,” which became one of his best-known tracks. Over the years, he has released multiple albums while exploring different musical styles beyond traditional country.
Shooter has also gained recognition as a producer, helping create award-winning projects for other artists. Leading up to the release of his father’s unheard music, Shooter has been sharing the reason behind why he feels its so important to keep that legacy alive.
“When somebody is gone, there tends to be … the public remembrance of them can be distorted. People can remember the outlaw part of this or fantasize what he was like, but he’s not here to represent himself,” Shooter told CBS Sunday Morning. “But what I felt was so important was you saw how much he loved music.… He connected with those songs. All he cared about was music — it wasn’t about image, it wasn’t about money, or anything beyond wanting to be great at music and play music.”
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Waylon Jennings’ “Diamond” Is Released Into The World
Now, more than two decades after his death, more new Waylon Jennings music has been released by Shooter.
Titled “Diamonds,” the newly released song holds a unique place in country music history, featuring guitar contributions from the late Glen Campbell and creating a rare collaboration between two artists honored by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
“This track eluded me,” Shooter said of the new song. “I kept finding it across three different sessions while I was going through my father‘s work. At first, I was very confused because of the sound of the guitar as to what it was.”
The song was originally recorded on December 28, 1978, but has remained unreleased until now. The track will be featured on Waylon’s upcoming album Diamonds, which is scheduled for release on Nov. 13. The full album will then arrive on streaming platforms on Dec. 11.
You can listen to “Diamonds” below.
