New music from Whey Jennings is here! “Wild Child,” which is autobiographical to Jennings’ own life, was recorded live with his own band, making it as authentic as he could, while also honoring the legacy of his grandfather, the late Waylon Jennings .
“This is a real country album,” Jennings says on social media, speaking of “Wild Child.” “Everything is played live with the band. It has a Jamey Johnson feel and of course you may hear my Grandfather in my voice.”
Jennings is proud to honor his grandfather, both in his music and in his life, carrying on the name of one of country music’s most revered artists, of all time.
“My grandfather’s influenced pretty much everything I’ve ever done in music, because I always think about how he did it,” Jennings previously told Everything Nash. “And I’m wondering if it’s about the same mindset I’m in. I remember when my grandfather got sober, and he was really trying his best to do a new album, without the same dark edge on it. I’ve been thinking on it and thinking on it and thinking on it, and writing and writing and writing.
“And I don’t want to go too all the way right,” he added. “I don’t want to stay in the dark. I want it to have a real impact on anybody. People who have been sober their whole life, people who have been sober for just a little bit. People who aren’t sober. I just want it to be something that my kids can enjoy. Something that everybody can enjoy.”
In 2020, Jennings revealed he went to rehab to get sober, during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I had time to stop and think about what I was doing with my life, and realized that I’ve been pretty much all on it,” Jennings explained. “I’ve made some good racket out there. I’ve made a pretty good name for myself, but I don’t remember a lot of it. I’ve pretty much been wired for sound 27 years. It takes time. I went to rehab, and I learned a lot more there than I thought I would. I gave myself excuses for a lot of years. I thought, you go to rehab, you’re going to go in there and meet a bunch of new drug connections.
“But you know, if you go there for that, you will,” he added. “I went there to get better. And I soaked up everything they had for me.”
Jennings’ five-track EP, If It Wasn’t For the Sinnin’, was released last September, wholeheartedly embracing his influences in country music by recording the project at Ronnie Milsap‘s legendary studio on Music Row.
“It was amazing to feel the vibes there,” Jennings told The Country Note. “My grandfather Waylon even recorded there. Glad to carry on that family tradition … It’s an experience I won’t forget and I can’t wait to get back in there with the guys and make another album!”
Find “Wild Child” and all of Jennings’ music at WheyJennings.com.
