Waylon Jennings Had A Wild Reaction To Meeting Prince In The ’80s: “In His Pantyhose & That Little Ol’ Wormy Mustache”
Few people in music history were as unapologetically themselves as Waylon Jennings.
Whether he was arguing with record executives, walking out of award shows, or challenging Nashville’s rules, Waylon built his reputation on saying exactly what was on his mind.
And one unforgettable story from the 1980s perfectly captures that spirit.
During a rare one-man concert appearance, Waylon recalled attending the American Music Awards shortly after overcoming his struggles with drugs. Surrounded by some of the biggest stars in pop music, he immediately felt out of place.
Dressed in his trademark black hat, boots, and vest, Waylon found himself face-to-face with artists whose style couldn’t have been more different from his own.
First came Cyndi Lauper, whose colorful fashion choices left a lasting impression on the country legend.
But the moment he never forgot involved none other than Prince.
According to Waylon, Prince approached him politely and complimented his hat.
What happened next became classic Waylon Jennings.
Recalling the encounter years later, Waylon joked that Prince walked up wearing his trademark style, complete with what Waylon humorously described as “that little ol’ wormy mustache.”
Then Prince said:
“Hi there, I like your hat.”
Without missing a beat, Waylon claimed he replied:
“Get away there, kid.”
The audience erupted with laughter.
Only Waylon Jennings could casually brush off one of the biggest music superstars in the world as though he were an overly friendly stranger.
What makes the story even funnier is the timing.
At that point, Prince was at the height of his fame, dominating pop music with albums like “Purple Rain” and becoming one of the most influential artists of the decade.
Yet to Waylon, he was simply another young musician in a room full of industry celebrities.
The story wasn’t really about disrespect.
It was about how different Waylon was from almost everyone else in show business.
He never cared much about fame, status, or celebrity culture.
Whether someone was a record executive, a television producer, or one of the biggest stars on the planet, Waylon treated everyone exactly the same.
That’s one reason fans continue to love these stories decades later.
Because while many artists adapted themselves to fit the industry, Waylon Jennings spent his entire career doing the opposite.
He remained stubbornly, unapologetically himself.
And apparently, that included telling Prince to “get away there, kid.”
Only Waylon.