Unlike many of the country music greats that have passed away recently or even in the more distant past, Waylon Jennings never really got the opportunity to enjoy a true victory lap. Succumbing to diabetes complications on February 13th, 2002 at the age of 64, and ailing for a few years before, the once high-flying country music Outlaw rode off into the sunset without an official farewell tour or a whole lot of fanfare.
But there was a moment that if you look back in history, it did constitute a proper final bow. On January 6th, 2000, Waylon Jennings played what many consider was his final major concert, and it was one for the ages. The second night of a two-night residency at the The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville—a.k.a the “Mother Church of Country Music”—Waylon Jennings held court with a now legendary band, and numerous special guests. Though it wasn’t necessarily meant to be a farewell concert at the time, it ultimately became one. And lucky for all of us, there were both film and audio crews on hand to capture it all.
