In a candid and deeply emotional interview just released in Nashville, Shooter Jennings, the son of outlaw country legend Waylon Jennings, opened up like never before — revealing the weight of a legacy that never quite let him go.
Now 45, Shooter has forged a respected career of his own, blending country, rock, and rebellion into something entirely his. But behind the success and the swagger, he admits, there’s always been a voice in the dark — one that both comforts and haunts him.
“I still hear him,” Shooter said softly. “At night. In the quiet. Just his voice in my head saying, ‘You good, son?’”
That voice — equal parts memory and echo — belongs to Waylon Jennings, the larger-than-life icon who passed away in 2002. And though Shooter has spent years trying to carve out his own identity, he now admits: the shadow of his father was never something he could fully escape.
“I tried to run from it,” he confessed. “Tried to rebel against the expectations, the comparisons, the whispers of ‘you’ll never be him.’ But at some point, I realized — I wasn’t supposed to be him. I was supposed to carry him.”
Shooter spoke of sleepless nights on the road, moments of self-doubt, and the quiet pressure of carrying a name that shaped an entire genre. But he also spoke of grace — and healing.
“He wasn’t perfect,” Shooter said. “But he loved fiercely. He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. And I think now, more than ever, I understand what that meant.”
For fans who’ve watched Shooter grow from Waylon’s son into a musical force of his own, this confession reveals something deeper: the pain of grief that lingers long after applause fades. And the enduring presence of a father’s voice — not to overshadow, but to guide.
“Some nights, I still cry,” Shooter admitted. “But most nights, I just say back, ‘I’m good, Dad. I’m still out here. Still carrying the music. Still carrying you.’”
It’s not just a confession.
It’s a testament to love, legacy, and the long road of becoming your own man — even when your last name is Jennings.