Waylon Jennings
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In just a couple of weeks, Waylon Jennings fans will have the opportunity to get their hands on the second volume of the all-star tribute album series honoring the late legend.

Like the first album in stores now, the new collection of tunes, 'Waylon - The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated to Waylon Jennings, Volume II,' will feature some of the best in today's country music scene, such as Josh Thompson, Dierks Bentley, Justin Moore, Montgomery Gentry, Colt Ford, Hank Williams Jr., Jewel, Jack Ingram, Pat Green, Wyatt McCubbin, and Jennings' widow, Jessi Colter.

"I actually had no idea that the Waylon tribute album was happening," Josh Thompson tells Taste of Country of his involvement with the project. "[The album's producer] Witt [Stewart] called me out of the blue. He said, 'I know you're a big Waylon fan, and we've got one spot on the record [left]. Jessi loves this song called 'Love of the Common People,' and if you'd be willing to sing that song, we'd love to have you do it.' Obviously I said yeah! I got the song and learned it and kind of took the reins a little bit ... did it a little different. It's a great song."

Stewart and Colter were already familiar with Thompson and his music leading up to the project, as he has his own tribute song to the legend titled 'Blame It on Waylon,' which can be found on his debut album, 'Way Out Here.'

"Jessi called me about a month after [I recorded 'Love of the Common People'] and said how much she appreciated me doing that song and how much she loved that song," Thompson says. "It was a little weird, out of the blue, getting a call from Jessi Colter! I've tried not to call her since ... I've been fighting off a lot of urges to do that. I've been trying to keep it cool [laughs]!"

The 11-track album will feature other remakes of Jennings' biggest hits of his career, including 'Lonesome, On'ry and Mean,' 'Rainy Day Woman,' 'I Ain't Livin’ Long Like This' and 'Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line.'

"I feel like this project could very likely break another sound barrier," says Jessi Colter. "Waylon was so original. For his songs to be sang by other people and to take me somewhere else is not an easy task. I’ve been pleasantly surprised of the fact that the people involved chose to make the songs their own. They add something to it and to me that’s what makes it interesting. They made it their own because they could never walk in Waylon’s tracks. They’d be stepping in holes."

The album will be available for digital pre-sale purchase starting on Jan. 24. The album will then hit stores and other retail outlets on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

'Waylon - The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated to Waylon Jennings, Volume II' Track Listing:

1. 'Lonesome, On'ry and Mean' - Dierks Bentley
2. 'Waymore’s Blues' - Hank Williams Jr.
3. 'Good Ol' Boys' - Montgomery Gentry
4. 'I Ain't Livin’ Long Like This' - Justin Moore
5. 'Bob Wills Is Still the King' - Jack Ingram
6. 'Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line' - Colt Ford
7. 'Rainy Day Woman' - Pat Green
8. 'Love of the Common People' - Josh Thompson
9. 'Mama' - Jessi Colter
10. 'Dreaming My Dreams With You' - Jewel
11. 'A Long Time Ago' - Wyatt McCubbin (BONUS TRACK)

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