Cowboys, Sisters, Rascals, and Dirt
Waylon Jennings
Audio Cassette
(Bmg Distribution, Oct. 15, 1993)
A children's album from country outlaw Waylon Jennings? The eclectic Jennings has recorded everything from "Baker Street" to "MacArthur Park," so why not? It turns out that Waylon's gritty soulfulness keeps this album from falling into the mawkish pit that swallows up so many similar efforts. Be warned, this isn't one of those kids' albums that will appeal to parents as well, it's strictly for the tricycle set. But Waylon's warm spoken intros to the tunes and friendly vocal delivery will endear this set to children. The Bo Diddley beat of "I Just Can't Wait" and the thumping country beat of many of the other tunes keeps things lively. All the song topics are geared toward children's concerns, but Waylon doesn't sound condescending, just wise, open and appealing.