Julie Rae Jennings was the daughter of Waylon Jennings, an American songwriter, singer, and actor; her mother was Maxine Caroll Jennings. Julie was married to Larry Burdette, with whom she had a son named Taylor Ray Jennings and a stepdaughter, Annie Burdette.
Julie Rae Jennings was the second born in her family. Her siblings are Terry Vance, Buddy Dean Jennings, Deana Jennings, Shooter Jennings, and Tomi Lynne.
Career and Family
Julie Rae worked as a DJ at WHOG in Fernandina Beach, Florida. She also worked for her father in the music business. Additionally, Julie did farming and sold the farm produce to earn a living.
Her son, Taylor Ray, died in 2003 in a road accident when he went home from work with her girlfriend, Stacey Norman. Taylor was working as a bartender before his death.
Her Father
Julie Rae Jennings’ father was a well-known American country music singer, particularly for his role in pioneering the Outlaw Movement in country music. Waylon Jennings had a passion for music since he was young; he used to play guitar and perform on KVOW radio when he was 14.
Julie’s father later formed a band, The Waylors, which used to play at JD’s club in Scottsdale. He signed with Trend Records and A& M Records, an independent label, but it didn’t work out as he expected. He then moved to RCA Records, a label with which he achieved great success, releasing albums such as; Lonesome, Honky Tonk Heroes, Are You Ready for the Country, On’ry and Mean, and Dreaming My Dreams.
In the 1970s, Julie Rae’s father, with Tompall Glaser, Willie Nelson, and Jessie Colter, who was his lover then, recorded and released the first country music album titled, Wanted! The Outlaws. In 1972, Waylon Jennings contracted hepatitis; while in the hospital, he was so frustrated with the music industry in his hometown, Nashville, that he even considered quitting music.
With Albright’s help and encouragement, he continued with his music after being discharged, and that’s when he decided to do music his way, championing freedom in the music industry.
Given his success in country music, Julie’s father was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October 2001, a ceremony he could not attend for health reasons. Even after he died in 2002, his name and effect on country music lived on as his children received awards on his behalf.
Julie Rae’s father’s Drug Addiction and Health
In the early 1980s, Julie’s father was into cocaine, an addiction he overcame in 1984. Waylon was also a heavy cigarette smoker, smoking six packs of cigarettes a day. His excessive cigarette smoking and cocaine addiction adversely affected his health resulting in type 2 diabetes.
In 1988, after stopping his smoking habit, he underwent heart bypass surgery. Two years later, his health deteriorated as the pain he was feeling due to diabetes was so enormous. In 2001 his left leg foot was amputated due to diabetes complications. He died in 2002, at the age of 64.
Her Death
Julie Rae Jennings died on October 3, 2014, due to Bone cancer. Her funeral was on October 8, 2014, at Bethel Temple.
