Waylon Jennings

Birth Name: Waylon Arnold Jennings

Date of Birth: June 15, 1937

Place of Birth: Littlefield, Texas, U.S.

Date of Death: February 13, 2002

Place of Death: Chandler, Arizona, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, German, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Irish, more distant Dutch, French, Swiss, Welsh, Luxembourgish, Manx, Powhatan Native American, possibly remote Cherokee and Comanche Native American and/or African-American

Waylon Jennings was an American country singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He was a member of country music supergroup The Highwaymen, with Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson; which was a major force in independent, outlaw country. He was also known as Hoss, Chief, Watasha, and Waymore.

Waylon was the son of Lorene Beatrice and William Albert Jennings. His brother was country musician Tommy Jennings. He was married to country music singer Jessi Colter (born Mirriam Johnson), until his death. He had four children with his former wife Maxine Caroll Lawrence; a daughter, who was adopted, with his former wife Lynne Jones; and a son, musician and record producer Shooter Jennings, with Jessi. Shooter has two children with his former partner, actress Drea de Matteo.

Waylon’s paternal grandfather was Gus Jennings (the son of William Albert Jennings and Celia Ragsdale). Gus was born in Brown, Texas. William was the son of Elijah Jennings and Elizabeth Jane Bradshaw. The family is said to have partly descended from Black Dutch ancestors.

Waylon’s paternal grandmother was Tempie Armenta Reed (the daughter of Elkin Clay Reed and Martha Biggs). Tempie was born in Athens, Texas. She has a small amount of Powhatan Native American ancestry.

Waylon’s maternal grandfather was Alfred Blevins Shipley, Jr. (the son of Alfred Christopher Blevins Shipley and Delilah/Delila Brown). Waylon’s grandfather Alfred was born in Chickasaw Nation, now Oklahoma. Waylon’s great-grandfather Alfred was born in Tennessee, the son of Thomas Christopher Shipley and Nancy Jane Wattenbarger. He was said to have been of partial Cherokee and Comanche descent.

Waylon’s maternal grandmother was Dessie Bell West (the daughter of Wiley Matt West and Nora Green). Dessie was born in Oklahoma. Wiley was the son of Joseph A. West and Belle I. Emmerson.

Sources: Genealogies of Waylon Jennings – https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com