Skip to main content Skip to footer site map
S30E7: The Highwaymen: Friends Till The End | Clip

The Highwaymen: ‘The Mount Rushmore of Country Music’

Before you watch videos on this webpage, please take a moment to review and respond below:

By clicking “Accept,” you agree that WNET and its affiliates (“The WNET Group”) can share your video viewing activity with third parties as set out in our Privacy Policy in order to facilitate use of our sites and enrich your online experience. Your consent to such sharing is valid for two years or until you withdraw your consent by removing the associated browser cookie. To learn more about how we use cookies on our sites and how to revise your cookie settings, please visit the “Cookies” section of our Privacy Policy. If you click “Decline,” we will not share your individual viewing activity, but may still share aggregated and/or anonymized viewing activity in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

SHARE

“For me, it was heaven,” Kris Kristofferson said. “I was up there on stage with my heroes — the people that I worshipped.”

In 1985, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson formed a country supergroup: The Highwaymen. They had already built empires of their own — so what brought them together?

In this excerpt from The Highwaymen: Friends Till The End, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and others talk about working together to revitalize the country music scene and satisfy their own restless creativity. It was the beginning of the outlaw country movement, and also their friendship.

“We did nothing we didn’t want to do. And we stood up for things we believed in. And it was a beautiful life that way,” Kris Kristofferson said.

TRANSCRIPT

[ Cheers and applause ] Nelson: ♪ I was a highwayman ♪ ♪ Along the coach roads I did ride ♪ Well, I had three of my favorite people out there.

I loved them all like brothers.

We all got along good together.

And we had fun together, we made a movie together.

We toured the world a couple of times.

It was just some of the best times of my life.

♪ The bastards hung me in the spring of '25 ♪ ♪ But I am still alive ♪ ♪♪♪ Kristofferson: ♪ I was a sailor ♪ ♪ I was born upon the tide ♪ Colter: These were the icons of American music, not just country -- popular American music, you know?

They had built empires of their own.

♪♪♪ Kristofferson: ♪ I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow ♪ ♪ And when the yards broke off, they said that I got killed ♪ Kristofferson: For me, it was heaven.

I was up there on the stage with my heroes -- the people that I worshipped.

Jennings: ♪ I was a dam builder ♪ ♪ Across the river deep and wide ♪ ♪ Where steel and water did collide ♪ ♪ A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado ♪ ♪ I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below ♪ ♪ They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound ♪ ♪ But I am still around ♪ ♪ Always be around and round and round ♪ Stuart: The thing that was worth the price of admission was to see those four characters walk out onstage.

It's been said before -- It truly was the Mount Rushmore of country music.

It was special.

Cash: ♪ I fly a starship across the universe divide ♪ ♪ And when I reach the other side ♪ ♪ I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can ♪ ♪ Perhaps I may become a highwayman again ♪ ♪ Or I may simply be a single drop of rain ♪ ♪ But I will remain ♪ ♪ And I'll be back again and again and again and again ♪ ♪ And again and again and again ♪ Kristofferson: We did nothing we didn't want to do.

And we stood up for things we believed in, you know?

And it was a beautiful life that way.

All: ♪ On the road again ♪