Waylon Jennings

He may have been much better known in 1984 as the voice of The Dukes Of Hazzard but when he was allowed to ply his actual trade, as during this lovingly presented Austin City Limits performance, Waylon Jennings could make a strong case for being the best country artist of his generation. That fact comes across even stronger on the DVD portion of this set, where the bottomless emotion he effortlessly puts into "It's Not Supposed To Be That Way" and "Dreaming My Dreams With You" is truly moving. Then again, as the original "outlaw," his rocking side is equally displayed, especially in the closing segment of "Honky Tonk Heroes," "I Ain't Living Long Like This" and "I've Always Been Crazy." Add to that the work of Jennings' killer band, led by steel player Ralph Mooney, and this release is indispensable not just for any Waylon fan but any roots music fan in general.