Shooter Jennings is an American country music singer and songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. Born Waylon Albright Jennings in 1979, he is the only child of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter. His middle name comes from his father’s drummer, Richie Albright, and his father gives him the nickname “Shooter” after an incident shortly after birth that Waylon Jennings later describes in his autobiography.

Early life and musical background

Jennings spends his first years living in a crib on his parents’ tour bus. He starts playing drums by the age of five and takes piano lessons between tours. He begins playing guitar at fourteen and sometimes performs in his father’s band. He and his father also record a few tracks together when microphones and a tape recorder happen to be set up. At sixteen, he discovers rock and roll.

Stargunn and the move to Los Angeles

As an adult, Jennings leaves Nashville for Los Angeles. There he forms and performs with Stargunn, a southern rock band whose sound he describes as Lynyrd Skynyrd developing into Guns N’ Roses. The band plays local clubs for six years, builds a strong following and receives praise from the local music press. He later says that the Hollywood party scene begins to bother him and that he feels as if he is presenting himself as a rocker rather than being true to himself.

Later bands and solo work

On 30 March 2003, Jennings ends Stargunn and moves to New York City to spend time with his girlfriend and think about his next steps. After an unexpected show at the House of Blues, he returns to Los Angeles and forms another band, the 357s. He completes his first solo album, Put the O Back in Country, in six weeks, and Universal South releases it in early 2005. His second solo album, Electric Rodeo, follows in 2006.

Other work

Jennings appears as his father in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. He also hosts Shooter Jennings' Electric Rodeo, a two-hour weekly music programme on Sirius Satellite Radio’s Outlaw Country channel.

Style and associated acts

His music spans alternative country, country rock, hard rock, outlaw country, psychedelic rock and southern rock. Associated acts listed with him include Stargunn, Shooter Jennings and The .357’s, Shooter Jennings & Hierophant, and Shooter Jennings & the Werewolves of Los Angeles.