•
|
• |
Lifetime Achievement Award
|
|
2007 Life Time Achievement Award "Outlaw" Waylon Jennings
|
|
Waylon was the first country singer to sell a million records, Waylon's career spanned 6 decades. Grammy Winner, songwriter, actor, author and businessman; he was a lot of things to a lot of people. He is an American original. |
Waylon personified the outlaw country movement. Jennings rejected the conventions of the recording industry back in the '70s with other songwriter/artists such as Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. The whole "outlaw" movement -- so-named because of the artists' ragged, maverick image and their independence became one of the most significant country forces of the '70s. |
|
Jennings was born and raised in Littlefield, TX, where he learned how to play guitar by the time he was eight. When he was 12 years old, he was a DJ for a local radio station and, shortly afterward, formed his first band. Two years later he left school and spent the next few years picking cotton, eventually moving to Lubbock, TX, in 1954. |
|
|
|
Once he was in Lubbock, he got a job at the radio station KLLL, where he befriended Buddy Holly. Holly became Waylon's mentor, teaching him guitar licks, collaborating on songs, and producing Jennings' first single, "Jole Blon." Later that year, Waylon became the temporary bass player for Holly's band the Crickets. |
|
Jennings was also scheduled to fly on the plane ride that ended in Holly's tragic death in early 1959, but he gave up his seat at the last minute to the Big Bopper, who was suffering from a cold. Waylon Jennings last comment to Buddy Holly was "Hope your darn ole plane crashes." "Mainly what I learned from Buddy," Jennings recalled, "was an attitude. He loved music, and he taught me that it shouldn't have any barriers to it." |
 |
|
In 1963, Waylon landed a contract with Herb
Alpert's A&M Records. his single, "Sing the Girl a Song,
Bill," and album flopped. |
Waylon released his first single for RCA in '65, "That's the Chance I'll Have to Take," and it became a minor hit. With his second single, "Stop the World (And Let Me Off)," he had his first Top 40 country hit, and it began a string of moderate hits that eventually developed into several Top Ten singles -- "Walk On out of My Mind," "I Got You," "Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line," "Yours Love" -- in 1968
|
|
In 1970, Jennings recorded several songs by
a struggling but promising songwriter called Kris Kristofferson,
which led to a pair of ambitious albums -- Singer of Sad Songs
and Ladies Love Outlaws -- the following year.
|
During the following year, Waylon began collaborating with Willie Nelson, recording and writing several songs with the songwriter. Just as importantly, he also renegotiated his contract with RCA in 1972, demanding that he assume the production and artistic control of his records. |
|
|
Waylon's success continued throughout 1975,
voted the Country Music Association's Male Vocalist of the Year.
Jennings truly crossed over into the mainstream in 1976, when
Wanted! The Outlaws -- featured songs from his wife Jessi
Colter, Willie Nelson, and Tompall Glaser -- peaked at number
one on the pop charts. Following the success of Wanted!, Waylon became a superstar, as well known to the mainstream pop audience as he was to the country audience. During many of these same years, the TV series The Dukes of Hazzard --- for which Jennings wrote and sang the theme song and served as off-screen narrator --- further popularized his sound and the trademark image of his leather-covered guitar. |
|
|
For the next six years, Jennings' albums consistently charted in the pop Top 50 and went gold. During this time, he recorded a number of duets with Nelson, including the multi-platinum Waylon & Willie (1978), which featured the number one single "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." |
|
|
Over the course of the late '70s and early '80s, Jennings scored ten number one hits, including "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)" (which hit number 25 on the pop charts and spent six weeks at the top of the country charts), "The Wurlitzer Prize (I Don't Want to Get Over You)," "I've Always Been Crazy," "Amanda," "Theme from 'The Dukes of Hazzard' (Good Ol' Boys)," and three duets with Nelson. |
|
Recording for MCA and Epic during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and touring until his death in 2002. With Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson, Jennings gained another No. 1 smash with 1985's "Highwayman," title cut for a gold-selling Columbia album. |
Jennings won election to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001 and died on February 13, 2002. He is survived by his wife, Jessi Colter, and their son, Waylon Albright "Shooter" Jennings; Colter's daughter, Jennifer; and five children from Jennings' previous marriages: Terry, Tomi Lynn, Julie, Deana and Buddy. |
|
|
|
|
Jennings rugged individualism and musical vision continue to inspire both seasoned veterans and young, aspiring songwriters. The Legacy continues......
|
|
2006 Recipient |
|
|
|
Controversial and shunned. The fest does not shy away from the
status quo. DAVID ALLAN COE, the Ultra-Long-Haired, Tatoo'd, "Over-The-Top," Mysterious, Country Music Outlaw who said, "Take This Job and Shove It." "Coe is always willing to talk about the success of other writers in the business on his concert stage to acknowledge those who helped such as Johnny Cash. Coe takes the time to give the songwriter recognition on stage during his performances to reminds us of the songwriter's contribution to the music industry!" Cherokee Mangus |
|
DAC wrote a number 1 song for Tanya Tucker, 'Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone)?'. Coe became naturally a glorifying outlaw with his song, 'Longhaired Redneck' which he wrote about himself. And song, 'Willie, Waylon And Me'. |
|
|
|
And Johnny Paycheck had a US country number 1 with Coe's 'Take This Job And Shove It' as well as David Allan Coe's own successes include, 'Divers Do It Deeper', and 'Jack Daniels If You Please'. Also, 'Now I Lay Me Down To Cheat' and song, 'The Ride', (which conjures up a meeting between Coe and Hank Williams.) |
|
Coe's hilarious additions to Steve Goodman's 'You Never Even Called Me By My Name'. One of Coe's Country-Pop crossover hits, 'Mona Lisa's Lost Her Smile', reached number 2 on US country charts, |
|
|
|
Coe's Recordings
with other performers include
'Don't Cry Darlin''
and 'This Bottle (In My Hand)'
with George Jones,
'I've Already Cheated On
You' with Willie
Nelson, and song, 'Get
A Little Dirt On Your Hands'
with Bill Anderson.
|
|
David Allan Coe is a sensitive, intelligent writer. Coe is always willing to talk about other writers in the business on his concert stage to acknowledge those who helped him such as Johnny Cash. |
|
|
|
Waylon
Jennings, in 'Living Legends', remarked about David Allan
Coe: 'He may still be an outlaw but that only means
double-parking on Music Row.' Popcorn note: Recognizing DAC's accomplishments caused a ruckus by the ones who call themselves "open minded and all inclusive" DAC's recommendation to be honored was done by a Cherokee Indian and raised the ire of some writers. Funny, someone else had asked me to ban that same group of writers from festival activities and their organization would help with the fest. We don't ban anybody. People ban themselves in their own minds. The fest leaves political correctness at the gate. Clicks exit stage left. The fest is for all. Write on! |
|
|
|
|
REMEMBERING Dottie West By Brad Fischer
|
|
|
Country Dreams Come True As a young girl Dottie West dreamed of one day being able to sing on the same Grand Ole Opry stage as her heroes. Born in McMinnville, then nothing more than whistle stop in Tennessee, she was proud of her heritage which included her Cherokee great, great grandmother. But music ran deep in her soul and she attended the Tennessee Technological University where she obtained her music degree. At that time, she was one of the first in country music to have one. While in college she met Bill West who played a mean steel guitar. The two married and moved to Cleveland where they performed on the local country music television program, Landmark Jamoree. In 1959 she was signed by Starday Records and the couple move to Nashville. Their circle of friends soon included other struggling young performer/songwriters like Willie Nelson, Hank Cochran, and Roger Miller. |
|
|
Dottie finally got a cut with her first composition "Is This Me?" which became a hit for Jim Reeves and earned her a BMI Songwriter's Award. Reeves then brought her to the attention of Chet Atkins who was instrumental in landing her a recording contract with RCA Records. The very next year one of her lifelong dreams came true when she became a regular cast member of the Grand Ole Opry. Two years later she had her first hit as an artist with "Here Comes My Baby" which she co-wrote with her husband. |
|
|
Dottie then went into the studio to record her first duet, a format that soon became a great success throughout her career. Her partner was Jim Reeves, and the song was Justin Tubb's "Love Is No Excuse." It became a Top Ten hit and spawned a collaboration that was cut short when Reeves was killed in a tragic airplane crash. Undaunted, Dottie continued to record many hits of her own. |
|
|
|
|
|
Life is full of changes and Dottie's was no exception. Through maintaining a busy touring schedule throughout the U.S.A., Canada, and Europe, she learned like many other performers that constant traveling wreaks havoc on a marriage. After a long collaboration she and Bill were divorced. Eventually she married her drummer, Byron Metcalf, and also switched to the United Artists label where she recorded two duet albums, Every Time Two Fools Collide and Classics, with Kenny Rogers. Both albums went Gold, and the Country Music Association named them Vocal Duo of the Year in '78 and '79. After divorcing Metcalf she had a string of hit singles, either written by her or co-written with favorite collaborators like Alex Harvey, Mark Grey and Larry Gatlin. Like legend Patsy Cline, who was her mentor, Dottie constantly took young songwriters and performers under her wing. Another sure sign of a great lady. |
|
|
Although eventually plagued with financial troubles, Dottie West remained the trouper she always was right to the end. Ironically, like her good friend Jim Reeves, her life was tragically cut short by a freak car accident while on her way to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. The truth is, no-one deserved a Life Achievement Award more than Dottie West. God bless her soul! |
|
|
"The family anxiously awaited this meaningful and most welcome Lifetime Achievement Award presentation, captured only by Fox 17 network, and a number of Dottie West fans/ photographers; Brad Fischer ask for a moment of silence for Dottie West outside the United Artist Towers downtown Music Row." which was Dottie's Label as well as RCA; one could sense Dottie's spirit very near as we gathered prayerfully to recognize a legend." |
|
|
Mr. Mason's own words: Here's the photo. This was Taken at the Opry during Dottie's last appearance. In fact, this was the first time I saw Dottie since Cleveland, Ohio when She was playing with Wendy Blevins on the Jamboree. We talked about old times and past memories. For a very short time I was a member of Wendy's band. Dottie and another female singer I think her name was Kathy, were featured singers. I left for California in 1964, and raised a son Billy who, is now the drummer for Tim McGraw. I retired from music in 2004 and at present I'm a photojournalist for the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Percy Priest Flotilla. William R. "Bobby" Mason, (Left, One of Dottie's Drummers.) Dottie West (right) |
|
|
|
|
Bob Hicks
(Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, George Strait, and other cuts past and present.) Hasn't missed a fest yet. Ask him about his bio and the old days when ya see him. He loves to share his experiences. |
|
|
 Bob Cargile This gentleman drove all the way from Seattle to be at our festival. When Bob had registered for the fest he sent some old news clippings, Billboard rankings and 45's. It touched our hearts so we took the memorabilia, framed it and represented it back to him. Thus began the humble beginnings of our lifetime Achievement Award. |
www.SongWritersFestival.com
Shooter Jennings
During this time she wrote a jingle for Coca-Cola based on her
song "Country Sunshine." The commercial was such a success that
she received a Clio Award (the Grammy of the advertising
industry), the first country performer to be so honored. As a
result, Coca-Cola gave her a lifetime contract to write jingles
for the company. By the late seventies she had written and
produced 15 such tunes for them.
