Luke Bryan reveals motorcycle gang threatened to burn his house after infamous Waylon Jennings remarks
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: When one thinks of Luke Bryan, it’s hard not to acknowledge his massive impact on country music but a controversy involving Waylon Jennings brought him some grief.
From his roles as a CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year to his spot as a judge on 'American Idol', Bryan has been at the pinnacle of country music for quite some time.
Luke Bryan sparked controversy with comments on Waylon Jennings
But despite all his success and charm, Bryan has also been at the center of one of country music’s most controversial movements - Bro Country, as per Whiskey Riff.
Known for hits like 'Country Girl (Shake It For Me)' in 2011, he became one of the faces of the genre that mixed country with rock and hip-hop influences.
For many fans of traditional country music, this era represented a decline in the genre's authenticity. And while Bryan didn’t start off as the target of criticism, that all changed in 2015.
It was during an interview that year when Bryan found himself at the heart of a backlash.
He made a now-infamous comment about outlaw country music that ignited a firestorm among traditional country fans and even Waylon Jennings’ family.
Addressing the more party-centric vibe of Bro Country, Bryan stated: “I think that people who want Merle, Willie and Waylon just need to buy Merle, Willie and Waylon. … I’m not an outlaw country singer."
"I don’t do cocaine and run around. So I’m not going to sing outlaw country. I like to hunt, fish, ride around on my farm, build a big bonfire and drink some beers—and that’s what I sing about. It’s what I know. I don’t know about laying in the gutter, strung out on drugs. I don’t really want to do that.”
That statement didn’t sit well with a lot of fans.
Luke Bryan faced outrage from Waylon Jennings' family and country fans
Waylon Jennings’ daughter-in-law, Kathy Pinkerman Jennings, publicly called Bryan out on social media, saying: “I hope your family members are proud of you for using your worldwide platform to take the time to disrespect my father-in-law."
"You have managed to prove to the world your true self. Albeit that Waylon’s drug use is well documented and something he overcame, I assure you, he was never ‘laying in a gutter.’”
The backlash was immediate, and the traditional country base was quick to criticize Bryan for his comments.
Afterward, Bryan personally reached out to Waylon’s family to apologize, and while they were forgiving, the damage was already done.
Traditional country fans felt betrayed, and the interview still gets brought up today in discussions about Bryan's place in the genre.
Luke Bryan clarifies controversy on 'The Joe Rogan Experience'
Recently, Bryan addressed the incident more candidly during an appearance on 'The Joe Rogan Experience' podcast.
Reflecting on the fallout, Bryan admitted that it was one of the biggest hurdles of his career and expressed regret over how his words were perceived.
He explained that the comment about being “strung out on drugs” was actually a reference to the Kris Kristofferson song 'Sunday Morning Coming Down,' and not an attack on outlaw country legends.
“One of the biggest hurdles in my career, and it still breaks my heart to this day,” Bryan told Joe Rogan.
“I wake up on the bus one morning and I got this interview, sitting there drinking my coffee in my fing underwear… and he says this ‘bro country thing..’ And I said ‘hold up buddy, here’s what this is.’ And I made one fatal error… I’m a college dude that played frat parties with country music, I fing did not go sit in a prison cell like Merle Haggard and wrote songs about guys going to death row.”
He went on to explain that he had meant to reference Johnny Cash’s 'Sunday Morning Coming Down' when talking about the “strung out in the gutter” comment but didn’t tie it in during the interview.
The fallout was swift and harsh. “And that guy took that article and said ‘Luke Bryan says outlaw country people are basically drug addicts who sleep in the street,’” he said.
“And the way they manipulated that story, I lost that whole crowd right then.”
Luke Bryan reveals support from Willie Nelson amid threats
Bryan recounted that the situation escalated quickly. He received threats from angry fans, including motorcycle gangs threatening to burn his house down, and he reached out to Waylon’s family to clarify his comments.
According to Bryan, Willie Nelson even reassured him with a classic one-liner: "It’s ok to step on your dick, just don’t stand on it."
He expressed that while the issue was resolved with most of Waylon’s family, the narrative surrounding his comment lingered, costing him a significant portion of his traditional country fan base.
Interestingly, Bryan believes that this incident was a pivotal moment in his career.
While some may argue that Bryan's success was already well-established, he feels that the backlash from that one interview had a lasting impact.
However, it’s debatable how much it truly affected his fan base.
By 2015, Bryan was already seen as the poster boy for Bro Country, and while the controversy gave more fuel to critics, his mainstream success remained largely intact.
