THE rebel spirit of country music comes to Blackburn’s Thwaites Empire Theatre next Friday when Ronnie J Moran and his band Luckenbach present the Ultimate Waylon Jennings tribute show.

For Ronnie, who has been a successful country singer for many years, the show is a labour of love.

“I’ve always loved Waylon’s music and the tribute show was my wife’s idea,” he said. “I was clowning around in rehearsals with the band and started to sing like Waylon and she suggested that I should take it further.”

Next Friday’s show will see Ronnie returning to the venue where he performed the tribute show for the first time, supporting Billy Yates.

“I just love the theatre,” he said. “You have the audience up close and it’s a great atmosphere. We can’t wait to come back.”

Ronnie’s show is the only Waylon Jennings tribute in the UK and has stunned country fans with the authenticity of both Ronnie’s voice and the overall look. He even plays a bespoke, leather-covered Telecaster guitar made in Nashville just like his hero.

“Waylon Jennings was unique,” said Ronnie. “He started off with Buddy Holly and gave up his seat on that ill-fated flight which killed Holly, the Big Bopper and others.

“When you look at his back catalogue, he was a tremendous songwriter.”

Along with the likes of Willie Nelson, Jennings became part of country music’s outlaw movement.

“They basically didn’t go for the whole rhinestone thing,” said Ronnie. “They wrote songs about real people with real lives and didn’t care if they upset the Nashville elite.

“For people who haven’t seen the show before I think the energy and songs surprise them. I often hear people afterwards saying ‘I didn’t know country music could be like this’.”

The rebel nature of Waylon Jennings has attracted a growing number of younger fans to the show who never got the chance to hear the man himself — he died in 2002.

“When we came to Blackburn last time a young lad rolled up his sleeve to show me a Waylon Jennings tattoo,” said Ronnie. “It was amazing.

“I think some people have got a fixed idea about country music but hopefully this tribute proves that there is so much more to enjoy.

“We put on a real show and have some fantastic songs to work with.”

Ultimate Waylon Jennings Tribute Show, Thwaites Empire Theatre, Blackburn, Friday, March 21. Details from the box office on 01254 685500.