"I'd like to be remembered for my music-- not necessarily by what people see when they see us-- but what they feel when they talk about you," he said in 1984.
Stevie Nicks wrote her 1981 hit "Leather & Lace" at Jennings' request, as a song for he and wife Jessi Colter. It was his intent that they would record the song at a future time. However, by the time Nicks finished penning the song, Waylon and Jessi had split. Nicks recorded it with Don Henley (of Eagles). The Nicks/Henley version was included on her 1981 LP "Bella Donna" and went to #6 on the US charts. Waylon and Jessi never made a studio recording of the song.
Ended a 20-year cocaine addiction in 1984. At times he was spending $1500 a day on the drug.
Had have one of his feet amputated due to diabetes in 2002.
He claimed that his guitarist Jimmy Byrd was the only other man who could perform his trademark "Chicken Picking" style of guitar playing and often called him "Abe Lincoln" due to his resemblance to former president Abraham Lincoln.
He made occasional forays into TV movies, including Stagecoach (1986) (TV) and The Oklahoma City Dolls (1981) (TV), plus the Sesame Street movie Sesame Street Presents: Follow that Bird (1985) and a low-budget country/western musical, Nashville Rebel (1966).
He often refused to attend music awards shows on the grounds that performers should not compete against each other. Despite those sentiments, he won two Grammy awards and four Country Music Association awards. He did not attend his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.
He sold more than 40 million albums and singles worldwide, including 16 #1 country hits.
He was married and divorced three times before marrying Jessi Colter.
He was survived by his mother, who died in 2006. His father had died in the 1960s, just as Waylon was making a name in Nashville.
He was usually regarded as the unifying, central force of "The Highwaymen", as he brought together Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson, all of whom he had been friends with since the 1960s.
High school dropout who got his GED in 1989.
His "Greatest Hits" album in 1979 sold four million copies--a rare accomplishment in country music for that era.
His former home in Brentwood, Tennessee is named "Southern Comfort.".
His other hit singles included "I'm a Ramblin' Man", "Amanda", "Lucille", "I've Always Been Crazy" and "Rose in Paradise".
In the mid-'80s he joined with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson to form the quartet The Highwaymen, which recorded together and did concert tours.
Is portrayed by his son Shooter Jennings in Walk the Line (2005).
Jokingly told his friend Buddy Holly that he hoped his plane crashed, after he gave up his own seat, but was said to be extremely remorseful of the light-hearted comment and for years felt somehow responsible for his friend's death.
Named Male Vocalist of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1975.
Son (with Jessi Colter) Shooter Jennings (b. Waylon Albright Jennings, 1979) sings with the L.A. band Stargunn.