In January 2000, Waylon Jennings took a chair on the stage of Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Pain in his back and legs made standing difficult, and worsening health was changing the life of a singer who had spent decades on the road. Behind Waylon Jennings, however, was a band chosen musician by musician. Jessi Colter and several fellow country singers would share the stage.
Over two nights, the cameras captured a late chapter of Waylon Jennings’s career: a working musician leading a group of players through songs that still mattered to him.
A chair and a familiar sense of humor
Waylon Jennings addressed the chair directly during the performance, explaining the trouble with his back and legs.
“I kinda hurt my back and my legs. But I’m gettin’ around.”
The remarks came with the humor longtime listeners expected. Waylon Jennings could acknowledge a physical limitation and still keep command of the room. The concert continued, with the chair becoming part of the performance preserved on film.
By then, diabetes was making touring increasingly difficult. Waylon Jennings would undergo surgery later in 2000 to improve circulation in his legs, followed by the amputation of his left foot in 2001. Those later developments give the Ryman footage an added poignancy, although the performances themselves remain full of musical activity.
The musicians Waylon Jennings wanted around him
The Waymore Blues Band brought together longtime colleagues and accomplished players. Drummer Richie Albright, a central figure in Waylon Jennings’s sound, was there. So were guitarist Reggie Young and multi-instrumentalist Robby Turner. The expanded ensemble included a horn section.
For a singer whose recordings had helped define outlaw country, the group offered room to explore a broad repertoire. Familiar hits shared space with songs such as “Can’t You See,” “Suspicious Minds,” and “The Weight.” The selections reflected the musical interests of the person directing the show.
Waylon Jennings opened the final Ryman evening with “Never Say Die.” The title would later identify the concert film, giving future viewers a memorable phrase through which to approach the performance.
Jessi Colter shared the stage
Jessi Colter participated in four songs across the recorded concerts, including a performance of “I’m Not Lisa.” John Anderson, Travis Tritt, and Montgomery Gentry also appeared.
The guests connected different parts of Waylon Jennings’s life in music. Jessi Colter brought the history of a marriage and a shared performing career. The other singers brought their own voices into songs audiences already associated with Waylon Jennings.
That company is part of what makes the footage worth returning to. Viewers can hear the arrangements and watch the exchanges between musicians, with Waylon Jennings seated at the center of a show still moving forward.
A late performance preserved
Waylon Jennings performed additional shows after the January 2000 Ryman concerts. These recordings preserve one of the final major concert appearances of his career. Waylon Jennings died on February 13, 2002, at 64.
The expanded concert release later gathered the performances on CD and DVD, alongside rehearsal footage and interviews. For fans, it preserved more than a list of familiar songs. It kept the band, the guests, the conversation, and the sound of Waylon Jennings continuing to lead from a chair.