The Highwaymen (country supergroup)

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The Highwaymen
HighwaymenSupergroupGrouped.jpg
Clockwise from top left: Johnny Cash (1977), Waylon Jennings (1976), Kris Kristofferson (1985), and Willie Nelson (1978).
Background information
Also known asNelson, Jennings, Cash, Kristofferson
OriginUnited States
Genres
Years active1985–1996
Labels
Past members

The Highwaymen was an American country music supergroup, composed of four of country music's biggest artists who pioneered the outlaw country subgenre: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. Between 1985 and 1995, the group recorded three major label albums as The Highwaymen: two on Columbia Records and one for Liberty Records. Their Columbia works produced three chart singles, including the number one "Highwayman" in 1985.

Contents

Between 1996 and 1998, Nelson, Kristofferson, Cash, and Jennings provided the voice and dramatization for the Louis L'Amour Collection, a four-CD box set of seven Louis L'Amour stories published by the HighBridge Company, although the four were not credited as "The Highwaymen" in this work.

Besides the four formal members of the group, one other vocal artist appeared on a Highwaymen recording: Johnny Rodriguez, who provided Spanish vocal on "Deportee", a Woody Guthrie composition, from the album Highwayman.

The four starred in one movie together: the 1986 film Stagecoach.

In 1990, the original members of the 1950s-'60s folk group of the same name sued The Highwaymen over their use of the name, which was inspired by a Jimmy Webb ballad the country stars had recorded. The suit was dropped when all parties agreed that the folk group owned the name but that the earlier group would grant a nonexclusive, nontransferable license to the supergroup to use the name. The two groups then shared the stage at a 1990 concert in Hollywood. [1]

Albums

Highwayman

Formed in 1985, the group did not have an official name when they released their first two albums on Columbia Records. The first album, Highwayman , was credited to "Nelson, Jennings, Cash, Kristofferson". The single "Highwayman", a Jimmy Webb composition, became a #1 country hit. Their cover of Guy Clark's "Desperados Waiting for a Train" reached the Top 20. The album was produced by Chips Moman.

Highwayman 2

In 1990, the four members reunited for a second effort, titled Highwayman 2 , which reached #4 on the country album chart. The Lee Clayton-penned song "Silver Stallion" was the first single and made the country Top 40. The album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Collaboration. Highwayman 2 was produced, once again, by Moman. Six of the songs were written or co-written by members of the group.

The Road Goes on Forever

The group's final release (now listed as "Highwaymen") prior to Jennings's death in 2002 was 1995's Don Was-produced album The Road Goes on Forever , (a Robert Earl Keen cover), with the single, "It Is What It Is". A tenth-anniversary edition of The Road Goes on Forever appeared in 2005, with several bonus tracks added as well as, in some versions, a DVD containing the video for "It Is What It Is" and a documentary titled Live Forever – In the Studio with the Highwaymen.

Final years: Jennings and Cash’s health issues and deaths, breakup, aftermath, and occasional partial reunions

The band continued to tour into the late 1990s, before Jennings and Cash both started to decline in health, which prevented them from maintaining a full touring schedule. All four continued to perform as solo artists, with Jennings briefly joining another country supergroup, Old Dogs; Jennings died in 2002, and Cash died in 2003.

Nelson and Kristofferson collaborated on multiple occasions following the deaths of Jennings and Cash, but they were not credited as The Highwaymen for these occasions. For example, in November 2003, Nelson and Kristofferson reunited to perform "Big River", one of Cash's songs that he had re-recorded in 1985 with his Highwaymen bandmates, with George Jones at a Grand Ole Opry-sponsored memorial concert for Cash at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. [2]

"Those tours and the records we made were a great time," recalled Kristofferson in 2010. "I just wish I was more aware of how lucky I was to share a stage with those people. I had no idea that two of them would be done so soon. Hell, I was up there and I had all my heroes with me. These are guys whose ashtrays I used to clean. I'm kinda amazed I wasn't more amazed." [3]

In 2012, Kristofferson, Jamey Johnson, and Snoop Dogg collaborated with Nelson on the single "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die". [4]

In 2016, Nelson and Kristofferson recorded a virtual collaboration of “One Too Many Mornings”, featuring archived vocals by Cash and Jennings recorded during the 1980s. This was released as a bonus track on the 2016 live album “Live: American Outlaws,” recorded at Nassau Coliseum in 1990.

Kristofferson died on September 28, 2024, [5] leaving Nelson as the last living member of the Highwaymen.

Discography

Studio albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US Country
[6]
US
[7]
AUS
[8]
CAN Country
[9]
DEN NOR
Highwayman 19223
Highwayman 2
  • Release date: February 9, 1990
  • Label: Columbia Records
4799
The Road Goes On Forever 424610811
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Compilation albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak positionsSales
US Country
[6]
AUS
[12]
The Highwaymen Ride Again
(Import Only – Greece & Netherlands)
  • Release date: June 11, 1995
  • Label: Columbia Records
Highwayman Super Hits
  • Release date: March 2, 1999
  • Label: Columbia Records
Country Legends
  • Release date: 2005
  • Label: DeLuxe Holland
The Essential Highwaymen
  • Release date: October 26, 2010
  • Label: Columbia Records
Live: American Outlaws1689
The Very Best of the Highwaymen
  • Release date: May 20, 2016
  • Label: Legacy Recordings
22
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

YearSinglePeak chart positionsAlbum
US Country
[15]
AUS [8] [16] CAN Country
[17]
CAN AC
[18]
1985"Highwayman"198119Highwayman
"Desperados Waiting for a Train"1520
1990"Silver Stallion"2512321Highwayman 2
"Born and Raised in Black and White"A
"American Remains" [19]
1995"It Is What It Is"The Road Goes on Forever
2005"If He Came Back Again"The Road Goes on Forever(re-issue)
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Notes:

Videography

Music videos

YearTitleDirector
1985"Highwayman"Peter Israelson
1990"Silver Stallion"Jon Small
1995"It Is What It Is"Lowe/Don Was
2016"Good Hearted Woman" [21] Jon Small

Video albums

YearTitleDetailsCertification
1991Highwaymen Live!filmed in 1990 at the Nassau Coliseum
  • AUS: 10× Platinum [22]
2003On the Road Againfilmed in 1992 in Aberdeen, Scotland
2016The Highwaymen Live at The Nassau Coliseumfilmed in 1990 at the Nassau Coliseum

An extended re-edit of Highwaymen Live!

Related Research Articles

Lincoln Wayne "Chips" Moman was an American record producer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is known for working in R&B, pop music and country music, operating American Sound Studios and producing hit albums like Elvis Presley's 1969 From Elvis in Memphis and the 1985 debut album for The Highwaymen. Moman won a Grammy Award for co-writing "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song", a 1975 hit for B.J. Thomas.

<i>Highwayman</i> (The Highwaymen album) 1985 studio album by The Highwaymen

Highwayman is the first studio album released by country supergroup The Highwaymen, comprising Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Highwayman, released on Columbia Records in 1985, was the group's first and most successful album.

Lee Clayton was an American songwriter and musician. He notably wrote Waylon Jennings' 1972 outlaw country song "Ladies Love Outlaws".

<i>Highwayman 2</i> 1990 studio album by The Highwaymen

Highwayman 2 is the second studio album released by American country supergroup The Highwaymen. This album was released in 1990 on the Columbia Records label. Johnny Cash had left Columbia several years earlier, making this a "homecoming", and ultimately his final work for Columbia as the next Highwaymen album would be issued on another label.

<i>Heroes</i> (Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings album) 1986 studio album by Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings

Heroes is a duet studio by American country music singers Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, released on Columbia Records in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Help Me Make It Through the Night</span> 1970 country song by Kris Kristofferson

"Help Me Make It Through the Night" is a country ballad written and composed by Kris Kristofferson and released on his 1970 album Kristofferson. It was covered later in 1970 by Sammi Smith, on the album Help Me Make It Through the Night. It has been covered since by many other artists from Tammy Wynette and Johnny Cash to Elvis Presley and Joan Baez.

<i>Repossessed</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Kris Kristofferson

Repossessed is an album by Kris Kristofferson, released on Mercury Records in 1986. It was Kristofferson's first full-length solo album since 1981's To the Bone, although the singer did collaborate with other artists in the meantime, most notably on Highwayman with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.

<i>Nashville Rebel</i> (box set) 2006 box set by Waylon Jennings

Nashville Rebel is a box set by Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Nashville through Legacy Recordings in 2006. According to AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine, it is "the first comprehensive, multi-label Waylon Jennings retrospective ever assembled," comprising ninety-two songs recorded between [1958 and 1994, with selections from the majority of the singer's recording career. The first track of the box set is the Buddy Holly-produced "Jole Blon," released in 1958, while the last is "I Do Believe," a song produced by Don Was that was included on The Highwaymen's 1995 release, The Road Goes On Forever. The other material on the box set covers Jennings' career chronologically, with songs ranging from his years on RCA's roster to later compositions from his short-lived stay at Epic Records; it ignores, however, the tracks from Jennings albums released on independent labels. The majority of the singer's charting singles are included in the package, as are collaborations such as "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" with Willie Nelson and "Highwayman" with The Highwaymen. A notable addition is the previously unreleased "The Greatest Cowboy of Them All," a 1978 duet with Johnny Cash which was later recorded by Cash alone for A Believer Sings the Truth (1979) and The Mystery of Life (1991); two others, "It's Sure Been Fun" and "People in Dallas Got Hair," had never been released in the United States. Nashville Rebel was released on four CDs, with a 140-page booklet and liner notes by Rich Kienzle and Lenny Kaye.

"Highwayman" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb about a soul with incarnations in four different places in time and history: as a highwayman, a sailor, a construction worker on the Hoover Dam, and finally as a captain of a starship. Webb first recorded the song on his album El Mirage, released in May 1977. The following year, Glen Campbell recorded his version on his 1979 album Highwayman.

<i>Born for Trouble</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Willie Nelson

Born for Trouble is the 38th studio album by country singer Willie Nelson. It was his first release of the 1990s. The album includes the singles "Ain't Necessarily So" and "Ten with a Two."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big River (Johnny Cash song)</span> 1958 single by Johnny Cash

"Big River" is a song written and originally recorded by Johnny Cash. Released as a single by Sun Records in 1958, it went as high as #4 on the Billboard country music charts and stayed on the charts for 14 weeks. The song tells a story of the chase of a lost love along the course of Mississippi River from Saint Paul, Minnesota to New Orleans, Louisiana.

"I Still Miss Someone" is a song co-written by Johnny Cash and his nephew Roy Cash, Jr. and originally recorded by American country music singer Johnny Cash. He first recorded it in 1958 as the B-side to "Don't Take Your Guns to Town".

"Lovin' Her Was Easier " is a song written, composed, first recorded, and first released by Kris Kristofferson. It was also recorded and released by Roger Miller, who included it on his album The Best of Roger Miller and released it as a single in July 1971. Ten years later, it was recorded by Tompall & the Glaser Brothers for the album Lovin' Her Was Easier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Cash singles discography</span>

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<i>Johnny Cash: The Complete Columbia Album Collection</i> 2012 box set by Johnny Cash

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waylon Jennings singles discography</span>

The following is a detailed discography of all singles released by American country music singer Waylon Jennings. A total of 16 Jennings' singles have reached number one on music charts.

"Silver Stallion" is a song written by Lee Clayton and originally released by him on his 1978 album Border Affair.

"Born and Raised in Black and White" is a song written by Don Cook and John Barlow Jarvis, and originally recorded by The Highwaymen on their 1990 album Highwaymen 2. Mark Collie covered it for his 1991 album Born and Raised in Black & White, and Brooks & Dunn on their 1998 album If You See Her.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Remains</span> 1990 single by the Highwaymen

"American Remains" is a song written by Rivers Rutherford and originally recorded by the Highwaymen for their 1990 album Highwaymen 2. The song follows the stories of 4 historically fictional men in a similar vein to their cover of "Highwayman". Unlike in Highwayman, however, none of the characters are implied dead; their legacies are instead emphasized.

References

  1. Noble, Richard E. (2009). Number #1 : the story of the original Highwaymen. Denver: Outskirts Press. pp. 146–148. ISBN   9781432738099. OCLC   426388468.
  2. CBS News; The Associated Press (November 11, 2003). "Cash Tribute". CBS News. CBS News/The Associated Press.
  3. Bell, Max: "Q&A: Kris Kristofferson"; Classic Rock #148, August 2010, p34
  4. "Heroes, The New Willie Nelson Album, Coming Tuesday, May 15". PRnewswite. PR Newswire Association LLC. May 15, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  5. Morris, Chris (September 29, 2024). "Kris Kristofferson, Country Music Legend and 'A Star Is Born' Leading Man, Dies at 88". Variety.
  6. 1 2 "The Highwaymen Album & Song Chart History – Country Albums". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  7. "The Highwaymen Album & Song Chart History – Billboard 200". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  8. 1 2 3 Australian chart peaks:
    • Top 100 (Kent Music Report) peaks to 12 June 1988: Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 214. ISBN   0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 12 June 1988.
    • Top 100 (ARIA) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  9. "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada – Country Albums". RPM . Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  10. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1991 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  11. "RIAA – Gold & Platinum – December 26, 2010: The Highwaymen certified albums". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved December 26, 2010.
  12. Ryan, Gavin (June 11, 2016). "ARIA Albums: Jimmy Barnes 'Soul Searchin' Is His 11th No 1 Album". Noise11. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  13. Bjorke, Matt (July 25, 2016). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: Top 10 Country Albums Chart: July 25, 2016, 2016". Roughstock.
  14. Bjorke, Matt (October 9, 2019). "Top Country Catalog Album Sales: October 9, 2019". RoughStock. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  15. "The Highwaymen Album & Song Chart History – Country Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  16. "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing May 27, 1991" . Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  17. "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada – Country Singles". RPM . Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  18. "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada – Adult Contemporary". RPM . Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  19. "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . September 29, 1990.
  20. "Hot Country Radio Breakouts" (PDF). Billboard. June 30, 1990.
  21. Stephens, Samantha (May 3, 2016). "World Premiere: The Highwaymen's "Good Hearted Woman"". Country Music Television . Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  22. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2011 DVDs" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  23. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2017 DVDs" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 11 December 2021.