Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated to Waylon Jennings, Vol. 1

Tributee: Waylon Jennings.
Personnel: Waylon Jennings (vocals, guitar); Randy Houser, Jeff Cook, John Hiatt, Randy Owen, Jamey Johnson (vocals, guitar); Sunny Sweeney, James Otto, Jessi Colter, Teddy Gentry, Chanel Campbell, Paty Griffin, Kris Kristofferson, Shooter Jennings, Trace Adkins (vocals); Tony Joe White (guitar, harmonica); Jim Brown (guitar, organ, keyboards); Charles English, Wayd Battle, Reggie Young (guitar); Robby Turner (steel guitar, dobro); Cowboy Eddie Long, Bobby Terry (steel guitar); Dan Dugmore (lap steel guitar); Jimmy Stewart (dobro, fiddle); Jennifer Lynn Young (cello); Chip Davis, Reese Wynans (keyboards); Brian Macleod , Gene Chrisman, Greg Morrow, Shawn Fichter, Chad Cromwell (drums); Carter's Chord, Barny Robertson, Carter Robertson (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: David Hall ; Ethan Allen; Greg Droman.
Liner Note Author: Shooter Jennings.
Recording information: Blackbird Studios, Nashville, TN; Ocean Way Nashville, Nashville, TN; Sound Shop, Nashville, TN; Sound Stage Studio, Nashville, TN; The West Wing, Station West Studios, Nashville, TN; Turner Up Studio, nashville, TN.
Photographer: Charles Gabrean.
The first installment of a planned multi-part tribute to Waylon Jennings spearheaded by his son Shooter and widow Jessi Colter, The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated to Waylon Jennings aims to be more than a standard tribute album. Shooter and Jessi have rounded up an impressive stable of friends, peers, and followers, finding space for a duet between Kris Kristofferson and Patty Griffin, a slot by Alabama, some room for the outlaw heir Jamey Johnson, and a cut by John Hiatt. The latter's "Just to Satisfy You" finds Hiatt duetting with an old recording of Waylon, who also appears on his own with "Go Down Rockin'," an OK outtake. The artists don't stick too closely to the originals -- only Alabama follow Waylon's blueprint on their "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" -- but they're mild reinterpretations. The Music Inside, Vol. 1 is a perfectly adequate tribute: it's entertaining enough and serves the purpose of driving people back to the original albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine