Prominent musical heritage doesn’t guarantee a man automatic success in the industry.
You could say that Whey Jennings, the grandson of outlaw country stars Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter and the nephew of country-rocker Shooter Jennings, had a leg up in the business. Yet the country singer's road hasn't been easy.
Born and raised in Grand Prairie, Texas, Whey Jennings spent his early years working on a cotton farm, not unlike his famous grandfather. When he sings about hard work and struggle, it comes from a place of experience.
Now five years sober and in his mid-40s, Jennings has only recently launched his recording career. Since 2020 he has released three EPs and a full-length album. He’s currently touring in support of his 2024 release "Jekyll & Hyde" with a stop at Roosters Country in Mesa on April 6th — one of five Arizona shows on the tour.
A singer-songwriter with a resounding baritone voice, Jennings is a country traditionalist who’s blazing his own trail with songs of hardship, redemption and old-fashioned values. Tracks like “Farm Life” and “Up Before the Dawn” reflect his personal battles and the rural, working-class upbringing that shaped him.
His 2023 single “One Folded" is a heart-yanking tribute to those who’ve paid the ultimate price for their country. “I felt that we needed a song that reminds us we are all Americans," Jennings said in a media release. "In a time of war, any of us could be reminded what our flag truly represents if, God forbid, you were ever handed one folded.”
Though not a native Arizonan, he has deep ties to the state. His grandfather was DJ and performer in both Coolidge and Phoenix — YouTube still has his 1980 set at Mr. Lucky's. His rockabilly band The Waylors became the regular house band at JD’s, a legendary Tempe club. His grandmother (technically his step-grandmother), Jessi Colter, was born in Phoenix and graduated from Mesa High School. Whey has played frequently at Scottsdale’s Handlebar J Steakhouse, where his grandfather appeared multiple times and where his grandmother continues to perform on occasion.
Now based in Nashville, Whey Jennings, a father of six, credits his wife and his faith for helping him on his road to sobriety
Jennings will bring his songs down the road to Arizona a show at Roosters Country in Mesa on Saturday, April 6, with support from Last Train to Juarez.
For fans of old-school country grit with a personal edge, Whey Jennings’ shows promise to deliver the real thing.
