Waylon Jennings

In 1959, his career was nearly cut short by tragedy. He was scheduled to fly on the light plane that crashed and killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. Jennings gave up his seat on the plane to The Big Bopper, who was ill and wanted to fly rather than travel by bus with those left behind. He and Holly were teen-age friends in Lubbock, Texas, and Jennings was in Holly's band. "Mainly what I learned from Buddy was an attitude," Jennings said. "He loved music, and he taught me that it shouldn't have any barriers to it. " Born in Littlefield, Texas, Jennings became a radio disc jockey at 14 and formed his own band not long afterward.

By the early 1960s Jennings was playing regularly at a nightclub in Phoenix.

In 1963, he was signed by 'Herb Alpert''s A&M Records, then was signed by RCA in Nashville shortly thereafter by Chet Atkins. Once in Nashville, he and Cash became friends and roommates.

Those 1970s songs nurtured a progressive sound and restless spirit embraced later by Travis Tritt, Charlie Daniels, Steve Earle and others.

Named Male Vocalist of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1975.

His resonant, authoritative voice also was used to narrate the popular TV show The Dukes of Hazzard (1979). He sang its theme song, which was a million seller.

In the mid-1980s, he joined with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson to form the quartet The Highwaymen, which recorded together and did concert tours.

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.

He made occasional forays into television movies, including Stagecoach (1986) and The Oklahoma City Dolls (1981), plus the Sesame Street movie Follow That Bird (1985) and a low-budget country/western musical, Nashville Rebel (1966).

"I aimed the narration at children and it made it work," he said in a 1987 AP interview. He traditionally wore a black cowboy hat and ebony attire that accented his black beard and mustache. Often reclusive when not on stage, he played earthy music with a spirited, hard edge. Combined, Jennings had a well-defined image that matched well with his history of battling record producers to do music his way. About his independence, he said: "There's always one more way to do something-- your way. " Some of his album titles nourished his brash persona: "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean," "I've Always Been Crazy," "Nashville Rebel," "Ladies Love Outlaws" and "Wanted: The Outlaws. " He often refused to attend music awards shows on grounds performers should not compete against each other. Despite those sentiments, Jennings won two Grammy awards and four Country Music Association awards. He did not attend his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame last year.

Smoked six packs of cigarettes a day until undergoing triple heart bypass surgery in December 1988.

High school dropout who got his General Educational Development (GED) in 1989.

Underwent surgery on both hands in June 1994 to relieve the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.

Jennings, a singer, songwriter and guitarist, recorded 60 albums and had 16 No. 1 country singles in a career that spanned five decades. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October 2001. With pal Willie Nelson, Jennings performed duets like "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys", "Luckenbach" and "Good Hearted Woman".

Is portrayed by his son Shooter Jennings in Walk the Line (2005).