"Remembering Waylon" Tribute Show

Hello folks... I'm Gary West

The first concert I ever attended was Waylon Jennings live at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1982. I was a junior in high school.  After that concert there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to play music for a living. 

Last year we were invited to Play WAYLONFEST held at Loretta Lynn's Dude Ranch in Hurricane Mills, TN just outside of Nashville. What an honor it was to perform at this festival that celebrated Waylon Jennings music and his legacy. 

Since 1982 it has been a heck of a road. I made the move to Nashville, TN from a small rural farm town in Indiana.  I began my Nashville journey touring with Tommy Cash when I was just 23 years old. That same year I moved to Nashville and got a job playing for Grand Ole Opry Star, Del Reeves. Since then I've worked for many Grand Ole Opry legends including 12 years with the great Little Jimmy Dickens. I was honored that Little Jimmy Dickens introduced me to Waylon at the Opry one night as he was there to visit and not perform.  What a kind and amazing spirit he had and what an opportunity to sit and visit with my hero. 

As a part of our Johnny Cash Tribute show we added segment called  "Remembering Waylon".  This has become as popular as our Cash Tribute Show and we have had an overwhelming amount of requests to do a Waylon Tribute Show. This year we decided to add a few more songs. 

I am so excited to offer this hard driving tribute show that fans can't get enough of! Let me tell you it's fun and the crowd loves it!!

I feel the same about all tribute shows. There was only one Johnny Cash and only one Waylon Jennings. I feel it is an insult and a mockery to these music icons to try to dress up and look and act like them.  We play the music in an authentic way. I am simply Gary West performing these great songs in a live setting and keeping in the traditional spirit of real live music.. 

 

This man is hard to follow”

— Little Jimmy Dickens

Press Photos