Jesse Dayton

A self-styled Texas outlaw who adheres to the maverick country traditions of his adopted hometown of Austin, Jesse Dayton first gained fame through his association with Rob Zombie. The rocker-turned-horror director hired Dayton to write and record the music for Banjo & Sullivan: The Ultimate Collection, a spin-off from his 2004 film The Devil's Rejects. Dayton also appeared as the leader of the rockabilly combo Captain Clegg & the Night Creatures in 2009's Halloween II. On a series of largely independent albums in the 2000s and 2010s, he issued collections of original material and tributes to such idols as Kinky Friedman, taking detours like teaming up with kindred spirit Samantha Fish for a 2023 duets album, and working with Shooter Jennings on the 2024 solo album The Hard Way Blues.