Shooter Jennings Confirms Documentary on Country Legend Waylon Jennings in Production

Shooter Jennings has confirmed that an official documentary about his father, country legend Waylon Jennings, is now in production. The film, directed by Greg Olliver — best known for Lemmy and Chasing Whiskey — will chronicle the outlaw country icon's enduring influence, creative legacy, and personal relationships that shaped his music.

The confirmation came after a fan reached out on social media. For one fan, they wanted more than a new album when they posted a question on Twitter, asking Shooter, “With all the bad movies and documentaries about folks I don't care about, how about a documentary about Waylon?”

A simple question was more than enough to catch the attention of Shooter, who responded, “There is an official Waylon documentary underway with my good friend Greg Olliver (Lemmy, Chasing Whiskey) directing.”

The project will include the participation of Willie Nelson, Jennings's longtime friend and fellow Highwayman. “Willie was interviewed yesterday. He also filmed all of me finding, preparing, and finishing the ‘Songbird' (and future) albums.”

Shooter explained how the work has deepened his connection to his late father. “This project has given me an entirely new chapter in my relationship with my father, and working on this music has brought a whole new understanding about how, when, and why my dad made music. The hard work is there on the tapes, and the passion and the soul within is as alive today as it was the day it was recorded.”

The documentary will explore Jennings's role in shaping the outlaw country movement alongside Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash. It is expected to blend contemporary interviews with archival footage from the 1970s and 1980s, including material connected to the posthumous album Songbird, recently released by Shooter.

Songbird marks the first of three archival-based Waylon albums, curated as both a tribute and a creative exploration of Jennings's process. Through these recordings and the upcoming film, fans will gain new insight into the artistry of a man whose music — and influence — remain timeless more than two decades after his 2002 death and induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.