The Essential Waylon Jennings

Waylon Jennings underwent one of country music’s most remarkable evolutions from the ‘60s to the ‘70s, and you can track the gradual mutations here. His gravitas-laden baritone lays into a fluid but carefully crafted mix of folk, country, and rock on early tunes such as Gordon Lightfoot’s “(That’s What You Get) For Lovin’ Me.” But later he invents the outlaw style as we know it right before our ears, with iconoclastic cuts such as “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” bringing raw, rock ‘n’ roll energy to roadhouse sounds.

Any 20-song collection of Waylon Jennings would be woefully inadequate and this one is no exception, but that doesn't make it without merit.