Waylon Birthday Bashes Join to Benefit Diabetes Research

This upcoming June 15th would have been Waylon Jennings’ 75th birthday. The Littlefield, TX native died in 2002 from complications with diabetes, a disease he battled for years. Waylon fans have been celebrating Waylon’s birthday in informal “Waylon bashes” for years, from back porch picking sessions to full blown concert events in and around Waylon’s birthday. This year, The Waylon Fund, an extension of the TGen Foundation that is searching for a cure for diabetes is bringing a national focus to Waylon’s birthday bashes by organizing these various Waylon tributes into a national benefit.

From Nashville to New York, from Detroit to Seattle, fans will be getting together to raise funds for diabetes research and to pay tribute to one of country music’s biggest Outlaws. From Billy Don Burns to Shooter Jennings, from Rachel Brooke to Jackson Taylor, bands and artists will be giving of their time to help out a good cause.

“We have a built-in Waylon fan base here who are happy to support a progressive diabetes research fund in his name,” says Dana Armstrong the local organizer for the Waylon tribute scheduled for June 17 at the Yucca Tap Room in Tempe, AZ. “We have held Waylon tribute nights in the past, and if we can raise awareness and some funds for TGen in this way, I know we will have a good time doing it. Waylon’s music and pioneering spirit have always been influential to Valley Fever, and you’ll see that in a lot of the bands that play here…”

Support for The Waylon Fund from the 8 different tributes around the country happened organically. The idea started when one of Waylon’s relatives in his hometown in Littlefield contacted TGen to see if the birthday bash they were planning in nearby Whiteface, TX could go to benefit the foundation. Soon volunteers and organizers were popping up all over the country, ready and willing to help with the cause, including Muddy Roots that will be throwing the birthday bash in Nashville at Robert’s Western World, and the 3-day Honky Tonk Throwdown in Detroit.

And if you can’t make it to one of these benefits, you can do the next best best thing: put on a Waylon record and donate online.

Current List of Waylon Bashes benefiting The Waylon Fund:

Whiteface, Texas – June 16, 2012

Shooter Jennings
Whiskey Myers
Jimmy Miles
The Rowdy Johnson Band
William Clark Green
Jackson Taylor and the Sinners
Tommy Jennings
Sergio and the Outta Luck Band

Detroit, Michigan – Honky Tonk Throw Down
PJ’s Lager House – June 8- 9-10, 2012

  • Billy Don Burns
  • Chelsea Crowell
  • Clark Patterson
  • Rachel Brooke
  • Bull Halsey
  • The Orbitsuns
  • The Howling Diablos
  • Horse Cave Trio
  • Paul Lamb and the Detroit Breakdown
  • JJ and the BTs
  • Crooked Little Reasons
  • Alison Lewis
  • Ryan Dillaha
  • Afternoon Round
  • Desolation Angel
  • Pat V & The Detroit 3
  • Matt Dmits
  • Switchblade Justice
  • Bixy Lutz

Tempe, Arizona – Valley Fever Country Music Night

Yucca Tap Room – June 17, 2012

J.P. Harris and the Tough Choices
Ray Lawrence Jr
Tony Martinez
James Parks
Steve Larson
Hans Olson
Junction 10
DJ Dana
Johnny Volume

Seattle, Washington – High Dive – June 15, 2012

Fascination Nation
The Outlaws (a Waylon tribute)
Jeff Fielder’s Redheaded Step Children
Plus special guests!

Houston, Texas – Firehouse Saloon – June 16, 2012

Matt Harlan
Brad Boyer
Al Staehely

Nashville, Tennessee – Robert’s Western World
June 17, 2012 6-10 p.m.

The Silver Threads
Special guests to be announced

New York, New York – The Wayland – June 15, 2012

(More info coming soon!)

Crestview, Florida -Don’s Ice House
June 15-16, 2012

(more details coming)

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