“CLASSIC WAYLON…” — The Wild Day Waylon Jennings Accidentally Set Big Bird Smoking On A Sesame Street Movie Set
Few country legends carried stories quite like Waylon Jennings. His life was filled with unforgettable songs, outlaw attitude, road-warrior memories, and the kind of wild behind-the-scenes moments that still make fans laugh decades later.
But one of the strangest and funniest Waylon stories may be this:
Waylon Jennings once accidentally set Big Bird smoking while filming a Sesame Street movie.
The moment happened during the making of the 1985 film “Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird,” where Waylon appeared in a memorable scene as a friendly turkey farmer who gives Big Bird a ride in his truck. In the film, Waylon even sings the cheerful duet “Ain’t No Road Too Long,” showing a softer, family-friendly side of the outlaw country icon.
For fans used to seeing Waylon in black leather, singing hard-edged country songs about freedom, trouble, and rebellion, his appearance beside Big Bird was already unforgettable. It showed that behind the rough outlaw image was a man with humor, warmth, and a willingness to step into unexpected places.
But according to a story later shared by longtime bassist Jerry Bridges, the filming did not go exactly as planned.
At the time, Waylon was still smoking. During the truck scene, he was sitting beside Big Bird, talking casually between takes. While holding his cigarette, he flicked away some ashes — and a few landed on Big Bird’s costume.
Moments later, someone noticed something unusual.
Big Bird was smoking.
Not in the musical sense.
The costume had begun to smolder.
Luckily, the situation was caught quickly, and the crew handled it before anything serious happened. No major damage occurred, and the story later became one of those unbelievable Waylon memories that sounds almost too strange to be true.
It is easy to imagine the humor of the moment: one of country music’s most rebellious stars, sitting in a truck next to one of the most beloved children’s characters in television history, accidentally creating chaos with a cigarette ash.
Only Waylon Jennings could turn a Sesame Street movie set into an outlaw country story.
What makes the tale so memorable is not danger or scandal, but contrast. Waylon was known as one of the defining figures of outlaw country, a man who challenged Nashville’s rules, fought for creative freedom, and built a career on authenticity. Yet here he was, appearing in a children’s film, singing beside Big Bird, and somehow still managing to leave behind a story no one would ever forget.
That was Waylon.
He could be serious, soulful, rebellious, funny, tender, and unpredictable all at once.
The story has resurfaced as fans continue celebrating Waylon’s legacy through newly released archival music, including “Songbird,” a posthumous project produced by his son Shooter Jennings. The album features recordings from the prime years of Waylon’s career, reminding listeners once again how powerful, raw, and timeless his voice remains.
But stories like the Big Bird incident remind fans of something just as important:
Waylon Jennings was not only a legend on record.
He was a character in real life.
He lived fully, laughed often, made mistakes, told unforgettable stories, and carried an energy that followed him everywhere — even onto the set of Sesame Street.
And perhaps that is why fans still love him so deeply.
Because Waylon Jennings never felt polished or manufactured. He felt real.
Even in the most unlikely places, he remained unmistakably himself.
Outlaw country met Big Bird — and somehow, the story became pure Waylon.