Introduction
It really does look like the next chapter of the Waylon Jennings vault recordings is getting closer. After the success of “Songbird” in 2025, fans have been eagerly waiting to see what Shooter Jennings would uncover next from his father’s massive archive of unreleased music.
According to recent reports, a mysterious billboard spotted in California appears to tease a new project titled “Diamonds.” The billboard reportedly included the phrase:
“2026 is gonna be a good time.”
Fans immediately began speculating that this could be the second installment in Shooter Jennings’ planned trilogy of unreleased Waylon material.
Shooter first revealed in 2024 that he had discovered a “treasure trove” of previously unheard recordings from the 1970s and early 1980s—arguably the peak of Waylon’s legendary outlaw country era. He described finding hundreds of reels containing unfinished songs, alternate takes, and full-band sessions stored away for decades.
When “Songbird” arrived in October 2025, it proved there was still enormous interest in new Waylon music. The album debuted strongly on Billboard’s sales charts and introduced fans to unheard recordings that still sounded unmistakably like classic Waylon Jennings.
Shooter has repeatedly said this project is deeply personal for him. Working through the tapes reportedly gave him a completely new understanding of his father—not just as a country legend, but as a working musician, bandleader, and creative force.
And it appears there may be much more coming beyond just “Diamonds.”
Reports and interviews suggest Shooter’s long-term plans include:
multiple unreleased studio albums
live recordings
collaborations involving Jessi Colter
rare Waylors material
archival projects tied to television and soundtrack recordings
One recent example was the 2026 Record Store Day release “When the Balladeer Met the Dukes,” featuring rare audio connected to The Dukes of Hazzard, including narration outtakes and instrumental recordings from Waylon and The Waylors.
For longtime outlaw country fans, these vault projects feel like more than just archival releases. They feel like discovering lost chapters from one of country music’s most important voices.
And perhaps that is what makes this moment so emotional.
Waylon Jennings passed away in 2002, but somehow his voice continues to return—through dusty tapes, unfinished sessions, and songs that sat unheard for decades waiting for the right moment.
If “Diamonds” truly is the next installment, fans may soon hear another piece of the outlaw legend brought back to life.