Waylon Jennings Covered a Beatles Classic in 1966

The country star's connection to the Fab Four dated back to the 1950s.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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In 1966, country music legend Waylon Jennings recorded a cover of the Beatles' song "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" for his album "Nashville Rebel." The idea to cover the psychedelic-tinged track came from Jennings' guitarist Chet Atkins, who was a fan of the Beatles' music. But Jennings' connection to the Fab Four went back even further, as he had played with Buddy Holly's band The Crickets in the late 1950s - the inspiration for the Beatles' name.

Why it matters

Jennings covering a Beatles song in 1966 was seen as a novelty, as the two genres of country and rock were still largely separate at the time. However, the connection between Jennings, Holly, and the Beatles shows how the musical worlds were starting to blend, foreshadowing the genre-crossing that would happen in the years to come.

The details

Chet Atkins suggested that Jennings cover "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" from the Beatles' 1965 album "Rubber Soul." Jennings was open to the idea, as he and Atkins both loved the Beatles' music. In fact, Jennings had likely performed the song before at the J.D.'s club where he played. The Beatles' name was also inspired by Buddy Holly's band The Crickets, which Jennings had been a part of in the late 1950s.

  • Jennings recorded the cover of "Norwegian Wood" in February 1966, about two months after the Beatles released it on "Rubber Soul" in December 1965.
  • Jennings played with Buddy Holly's band The Crickets in the late 1950s, before Holly's tragic death in the 1959 plane crash.

The players

Waylon Jennings

A country music legend who recorded a cover of the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" in 1966 and had previously played with Buddy Holly's band The Crickets in the 1950s.

Chet Atkins

Jennings' guitarist who suggested he cover the Beatles song "Norwegian Wood" for his 1966 album "Nashville Rebel." Atkins was a fan of the Beatles' music.

Buddy Holly

The rock and roll pioneer whose band The Crickets inspired the name of the Beatles.

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What they’re saying

“It was this kind of unpredictability that endeared Chet to me.”

— Waylon Jennings (Waylon Jennings' autobiography)

“[Chet] loved those Beatles tunes, and I did, too. After all, The Beatles were indirectly named after Buddy Holly's Crickets. I think I had probably done the song a few times at J.D.'s. John Cash remembers me singing it there.”

— Waylon Jennings (Waylon Jennings' autobiography)

What’s next

There are no clear future newsworthy moments related to this story.

The takeaway

Waylon Jennings' cover of the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" in 1966 shows how the country and rock music worlds were starting to blend, foreshadowing the genre-crossing that would happen in the years to come, and highlights the deep connections between Jennings, Buddy Holly, and the Beatles.