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More Than 20 Years After His Death, New Recordings From a Defining Figure of the Outlaw Country Movement Surface

In 2001, the Country Music Hall of Fame honored the legacy of Waylon Jennings by inducting him. Throughout a career that produced hits like โ€œHighwayman,” Jennings spent more than five decades shaping country music. And while he passed away in 2002, Jennings continues to entertain and inspire. Proving his lasting impact, it appears that Jennings will once again hit the airwaves with new music thanks to his son, Shooter Jennings.ย 

When exploring his fatherโ€™s work, Shooter found unreleased material from the singer. Hoping to give new life to the songs, the singerโ€™s son got to work, preserving the material. Back in October 2025, Shooter shared the first collection of songs with the album Songbird. The first album released by the singer in over a decade, Shooter will keep the series going with Diamonds.ย 

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For fans excited to hear Jennings, Diamonds will hit shelves on November 13, with a digital version also available. But when dealing with streaming platforms, the new album wonโ€™t be available right away. Instead, Diamonds will first be released on CD and vinyl, giving fans a chance to experience the collection in a more traditional format. It will be digitally released for streaming on December 11.ย 

[RELATED: Why a Culture-Shocked Waylon Jennings Told Prince To โ€œGet Awayโ€]

Waylon Jennings Hits The Road With “Diamonds”

While fans have a few months to wait until the album’s release, Shooter offered them a taste with the single, โ€œDiamonds.โ€ย 

Already climbing over 32,000 lines, fans are ready for another trip with Jennings. โ€œI love knowing there was never a bad Waylon song.โ€ Another person praised Shooter for keeping his fatherโ€™s spirit alive.

Discussing the new album and his fatherโ€™s ongoing impact on country music, Shooter told CBS Sunday Morning, โ€œWhen somebody is gone, there tends to beโ€ฆthe public remembrance of them can be distorted. People can remember the outlaw part of this or fantasize what he was like, but heโ€™s not here to represent himself.โ€ย 

While passing away at 64, Jennings never lost his passion and love for country music. And now, decades later, Shooter insisted, โ€œWhat I felt was so important was you saw how much he loved musicโ€ฆ He connected with those songs. All he cared about was music โ€” it wasnโ€™t about image, it wasnโ€™t about money, or anything beyond wanting to be great at music and play music.โ€ย 

With Diamonds set to arrive later this year, fans will get the chance to hear the voice that helped shape outlaw country. For longtime fans, Diamonds offers another rare glimpse into Jenningsโ€™ catalog and a reminder of why his music continues to stand the test of time.ย ย 

(Photo by Tom Hill/WireImage)