Terry Gross

Jones is widely acclaimed as one of the greatest country singers, but his 40-year career has also been marked by alcohol and drug abuse. He wrote about his experiences in his autobiography "I Lived to Tell it All" which was published two years ago. (Villard, New York). This originally aired 5/8/96.

Born in 1937 in Littlefield, Texas, Jennings was a disc jockey at 14, and had already formed his own band at the age of 12, making guest appearances on local station KDAV's "Sunday Party," where he met Buddy Holly in 1955. Jennings became Holly's bass player. It was Jennings who gave his seat up to the Big Bopper on the plane which crashed later killing Buddy Holly.

Shaver grew up in Corsicana, Texas. Billy Joe Shaver wrote 10 of the 11 songs on Waylon Jennings breakthrough album, Honky Tonk Heroes. His songs have been recorded by a veritable who's who of artists of every genre: Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, the Allman Brothers, David Allan Coe, Tom T.Hall, Trisha Yearwood and many more. Four artists have gone to No. 1 on the country charts with Billy Joe's songs.

Nelson was born in the central Texas town of Abbott. He has become an icon of country music. In his more than 35 year career, he has recorded on more than 100 albums.

Walser has released the new album "Down At The Sky-Vue Drive-In" on Sire Records. He didn't pursue a career in music until he was in his 60s as a retiree. He has developed a "punk" like following attracting fans of all different ages. This originally aired. 12/13/94.

Before he became a musician, Haggard lived the kind of life that's often mythologized in song: hopping freight trains, and doing time prison. In 1994, he was conducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Through his career, Haggard has released over 65 albums, most of which have been charted in the major trades. He landed a Grammy Award in 1984 for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for "That's The Way Love Goes." His most recent album was "1996" released years ago. This originally aired 8/14/95.

Carter Cahs has been a singer and musician most of her life. Her mother was Maybelle Carter of the original Carter Family. She later married Johnny Cash. She's written a book about her life titled From the Heart.This originally aired 6/18/87

Cash is a singer/lyricist who in 1985 won a Grammy for "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me." She is the daughter of Johnny Cash. We talked to her after the release of her album, "Ten-Song Demo" (Capitol Records) and after publishing her first work of fiction: "Bodies of Water" (Hyperion) a collection of nine short stories. This was originally aired 3/26/96.

Cash has been recording albums and performing since the 1950's, and has been inducted into the Songwriters, Country Music, and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame. Last year, he released an autobiography called "CASH" (Harper) The book tour for the memoir was canceled due to complications with Cash's Parkinson's disease. This was originally aired 11/4/97

Carter is an offspring of the Carter family country music dynasty that includes her mother June Carter Cash and A.P. and Maybelle Carter. We talked with her just after she released her album "I Fell in Love" on Reprise Records. This originally aired 11/22/90.