Interview with Carter Robertson, Singer, Songwriter,and Author of Playin’ on the Tracks
Carter Robertson is noted as the only female member of Waylon Jennings’ band, the Waylors and performed with both Waylon and his wife, Jessi Colter on stage and in the recording studio. Her recording credits include Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Don Was.
MJT: Carter in your autobiography you offer a snapshot of what it is like at Pentecostal church services and revivals. “Holy Rollers” you called them. You do a great job of expressing your own spirituality without religiosity. Is if fair to say that for you there is a separation between faith and organized religion that may have resulted from church authorities turning a blind eye to the actions of the music director and manager?
CR: It would be easy to be misunderstood on this point and I am at times clumsy in my explanation. But bear with me.
In speaking about faith, the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” I believe this to be true. Sadly, denominations often set up rules and expectations based on their own religious culture. If we do this then we are safe. If we do that we are doomed. This brings about an adherence to outside perception rather than the inward gift of faith. This is not to say that people who embrace organized religion are not true believers. I’m just saying religion is no substitute for true faith, but rather should be the outworking or evidence of true faith.
The second part of your question asked if my above conclusions were based on the betrayals I experienced as a teenager. I would say it was cumulative. The actions of the music minister and my manager were egregious, but there were plenty of disconnects before they ever came into the picture. On the one hand, there were many genuinely wonderful people with a true love for God in the churches I grew up in. Looking back I wish I had written a chapter about them. But in my personal story, I saw a very dark side, a behind the platform side of leadership in churches that didn’t exemplify true faith. By the time I became a teenager and met some of the more dubious characters in my life, I was just a push away from going over the cliff of abandoning any hope of saving faith. The music minister and manager provided the push.
MJT: There are several parts in your story that remind me of the biblical quote from 2 Corinthians 6:14 about being “unequally yoked with unbelievers”. How did you reconcile your faith with actions that you witnessed during your career?
CR: Within the context of 2 Corinthians 6:14 and the preceding verses of 3-10, I am given a very clear picture of true faith and to the lengths it will go. As far as reconciling what I have witnessed over the years, I’m thankful for the gift of looking in life’s rearview mirror. Hey, honestly we’re all just a great big mess. I’ve seen some of the most outwardly unlikely people exhibit the evidence of deep faith and others who have the exterior representations of the perfect package be completely hollow. Think I’ll leave the judging part to someone else.
MJT: Your relationship with your father was never what you wanted. If you could have an opportunity to do your life over again, what would you do or say to your father that might change the relationship to meet your expectations? When and where would it take place?
CR: My expectations as a child were not very big. I wanted to be safe and loved. I knew my father loved me in his own way but I didn’t always feel very safe.
There was a conversation I had with my Dad when my girls were little during one my parent’s visits. He started to open up about his childhood but quickly stopped himself. Looking at him I could almost see him processing, deciding whether he would keep talking or shut the door. He chose to shut the door and the conversation went to his default mode of making a joke.
I wish I had pushed him to engage but I didn’t. I wish I knew more about what his life was like. Did he wish he had lived differently? Did he ever think about the things he had done and if he did, how did it make him feel in regards to his wife and children? The older I am, the more compassionate I am when it comes to him. Information and education really can promote healing.
MJT: Your relationship with Waylon Jennings seemed to evolve into that of a surrogate father, especially in his later days as he interacted with your daughters. When did you recognize that turning point?
CR: That’s interesting. I never thought of Waylon as a father figure for me. He was protective but not so much in a fatherly way. In the context of family I would consider him more an older brother. The reality was that we were good friends who had lived through a lot of life together. I don’t know if there is a word or category that explains our relationship. There were no selfish motives, just friends cheering each other on.
MJT: Your mother was certainly a Godly woman, but the most saint-like person in your autobiography is Jessi Colter. What was the glue that held Jessi and Waylon together?
CR: Well, Jessi would laugh if anyone called her a saint. She had her own wild streak and still does, but her faith and the love she had for Waylon was powerful. That power not only brought them together, but also kept them together all of those years. It sounds cliché’, but true none the less.
MJT: What is your next project?
CR: Well, this project includes a CD and live one-woman show based on the book, so I hope that will keep me busy for a while. However, I’m toying with writing a series of children’s stories based on some characters I created for my girl’s when they were younger. Kind of exciting!
