Is Struggle Jennings Really Related to Waylon Jennings? The Truth Behind the Outlaw Legacy

Struggle Jennings is a country rapper from Nashville, Tennessee, who has gained popularity for his gritty and authentic style of music. He is also known for being the grandson of country legend Waylon Jennings, one of the pioneers of the outlaw movement in country music. But is Struggle Jennings really related to Waylon Jennings, or is it just a stage name? In this article, we will explore the family ties and musical influences that connect Struggle and Waylon Jennings.

The Outlaw Connection

Struggle Jennings was born William Curtis Harness Jr. on May 31, 1980, in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the son of William Curtis Harness Sr. and Jenni Eddy Jennings, who is the daughter of Jessi Colter and Duane Eddy. Jessi Colter is a country singer and songwriter, who was married to Waylon Jennings from 1969 until his death in 2002. Duane Eddy is a rock guitarist, who is known as the “King of the Twangy Guitar”. Struggle Jennings is therefore the grandson of Jessi Colter and Duane Eddy, and the step-grandson of Waylon Jennings. He is also the nephew of Shooter Jennings, who is the son of Waylon and Jessi, and a country singer and songwriter himself.

Struggle Jennings adopted his stage name from Shooter Jennings, who gave him the nickname “Struggle” when he was a teenager. According to Wikipedia1, Struggle Jennings said that he chose the name because it represented his life story and his musical style. He said, “I’ve always been drawn to the outlaw country movement because it was real music about real life. It wasn’t sugar-coated or fake. It was raw and honest. That’s what I try to do with my music too.”

Struggle Jennings grew up listening to his grandfather’s music, and was influenced by his rebellious and independent spirit. He started playing guitar at the age of eight, and performed on radio at the age of fourteen. He formed his first band, The Texas Longhorns, and left high school at the age of sixteen to pursue his musical career. He worked as a performer and DJ on various radio stations in Arizona and Tennessee, and recorded for independent labels Trend Records and A&M Records.

The Struggle Is Real

In 2011, Struggle Jennings was incarcerated on drug-related charges, and spent five years in prison. During that time, he continued to write songs and record music, releasing his debut album I Am Struggle in 2013. He also appeared on Yelawolf’s mixtape Wyte Dawg that same year. After he was released from prison in 2016, he signed with Yelawolf’s label Slumerican, and released his EP Return of the Outlaw.

Since then, Struggle Jennings has collaborated with various artists, such as Jelly Roll, Adam Calhoun, Brianna Harness (his daughter), Julie Roberts, Bubba Sparxxx, Alexander King, and Yelawolf. He has released several albums and EPs, such as The Widow’s Son (2019), Angels & Outlaws (2019), Legend (2020), Troubadour of Troubled Souls (2021), and Outlaw Shxt (2021). He has also created a series of albums with Jelly Roll titled Waylon & Willie, which pay homage to his grandfather and Willie Nelson.

Struggle Jennings has also appeared in films and television shows, such as Justified (2015), The Outsider (2018), The Devil All the Time (2020), and Yellowstone (2020). He has also created a documentary series called I Am Struggle, which chronicles his life story and musical journey.

The Outlaw Legacy

Struggle Jennings is undoubtedly related to Waylon Jennings by blood and by music. He is proud of his family heritage and carries on the outlaw legacy with his own unique style of country rap. He has faced many challenges and hardships in his life, but he has overcome them with his talent and determination. He has also earned the respect and admiration of his fans and peers for his authenticity and honesty.

Struggle Jennings is not only a rapper, but also a storyteller, a poet, a father, a son, a grandson, an outlaw, and a legend in his own right. He is living proof that the struggle is real, but so is the music.

Doms Desk

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