YOU CAN'T KEEP A BAD MAN DOWNWITH A DRUG-FREE HEAD AND A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, WAYLON JENNINGS FIGHTS THE GOOD FIGHT AGAINST NASHVILLE

"Most hold it like a weapon rather than an extension of themselves," Jennings notes. "It's easy to spot those who don't quite have it and those who don't have a clue. I guess I never really understood the Garth [Brooks] thing, but I suppose it's working for him. Still, most of these young folks are going to have to face the music one of these days. And it'll be ugly."
Jennings also is forthright about his prospects of getting his new music played on modern country radio, which is notorious for its move-'em-in, move-'em-out, don't-play-anybody-over-40 system.

"You know," says Jennings, a slight edge in his voice, "just before he died, Roger Miller and I were talking about making a record together. He said, 'Let's do something so good they can't ignore us.' That might not be good enough these days--a great record.

"But I do know one thing: When they say that shit about not playing 'old' music, not playing anything by anyone over 40--if it could be proved, they're opening themselves up to a helluva class-action lawsuit. Hell, I might own one of those stations one day. Hell," he adds, laughing, "ol' Willie's talking about starting a class-action suit. It might be fun."
And speaking of fun, Waylon, now that your nose is empty and your lungs are clear, just what do you do for fun?

"Hell, I'm recording my own songs the way I want them done, I'm chasin' Jessi all over the house, and I'm on my way to Phoenix, Arizona, real soon," Jennings says. "Don't get much better than that."
Waylon Jennings will perform on Friday, March 25, at the Sundome. Showtime is 8 p.m.