In the world of country music, few love stories shine as brightly or endure as deeply as that of Jessi Colter and Waylon Jennings. Individually, they were both musical legends—Jessi, with her haunting vocals and honest songwriting, and Waylon, the outlaw country icon with a voice like rugged velvet. But together, they were something more. They were real. Imperfect. Passionate. Loyal. And nothing captured that truth more than Jessi Colter’s timeless song, “Storms Never Last.”

Written by Jessi and released in the early 1980s, “Storms Never Last” was more than a melody—it was a message. A prayer. A promise. When Jessi and Waylon performed it together, you could feel the years, the pain, the healing, and the deep, enduring love between them in every note.

**“Storms never last, do they, baby?

Bad times all pass with the wind.”**

The words are simple, but their meaning cuts deep. They tell the story of two people who had walked through fire—and come out the other side together.

A Love Built in the Midst of Chaos

When Jessi Colter (born Miriam Johnson) met Waylon Jennings in the late 1960s, she was already an established artist with a strong musical sense and a deep spirituality. Waylon, on the other hand, was a man at the height of both fame and turmoil. As part of the outlaw country movement, he was constantly on the road, battling record labels—and battling himself. He was brilliant, but troubled. Charismatic, but chaotic.

They married in 1969.

Their love was intense from the beginning. But it was not easy. Waylon struggled for years with drug addiction, especially amphetamines and cocaine. Jessi stood by him during his darkest hours, even as their relationship was tested time and again. Many predicted it wouldn’t last.

But Jessi believed in something stronger than the storms.

She believed in love. And redemption.

The Song That Said It All

It was during one of those turbulent periods that Jessi wrote “Storms Never Last.” She wasn’t writing about fairy-tale love. She was writing about real love—the kind that holds on when everything else falls apart. The kind that aches but refuses to let go. The kind that believes tomorrow will be better, even if today hurts.

When Waylon heard it, he was moved. He knew it was their story.

They began performing it as a duet, often in small, intimate settings, with Waylon’s voice wrapping around Jessi’s like a worn-out blanket. His gravel and her softness—together, they sounded like home. And every time they sang it, you could feel the audience leaning in. Listening. Believing.

To those watching, it wasn’t just a song. It was a testimony.

“Storms never last, do they, baby?

Bad times all pass with the wind.

Your hand in mine stills the thunder,

You make the sun want to shine…”

Weathering the Storms

Behind the scenes, Jessi’s love and faith never wavered. She often prayed for Waylon, cared for him during his relapses, and supported his efforts to get clean. In interviews, Waylon would later credit Jessi with saving his life—not just emotionally, but physically.

“Jessi’s my backbone,” he once said. “She never gave up on me, even when I gave up on myself.”

They had one child together, Shooter Jennings, who would go on to become a respected musician in his own right. And through all the years—the tours, the tabloids, the trials—they kept coming back to each other.

“Storms Never Last” became more than their song. It became their truth.

Legacy of a Love That Endured

When Waylon passed away in 2002 after years of declining health, Jessi stood beside him until the very end. She had spent over three decades loving a man who was both a legend and a fighter. And though the storm had finally ended, Jessi’s voice still echoed the lessons they had learned.

In later years, she continued to perform “Storms Never Last,” sometimes with Shooter beside her. And every time she sang those familiar words, there was a quiet strength in her voice—a gentle resilience that only comes from having truly lived them.

The song, once a private reflection of struggle, had become an anthem for anyone who had ever held on through hardship. For couples who fought for each other. For families that healed. For hearts that believed in second chances.

The Deeper Meaning

At its core, “Storms Never Last” is not just about marriage or music—it’s about hope.

It’s about knowing that hard times don’t define us. That love is not always loud and perfect. Sometimes, it’s patient. Quiet. Forgiving. And in a world obsessed with fairy tales, Jessi and Waylon gave us something rarer: a real love story.

They weren’t perfect. But they were true.

And that’s why the song still matters. Why it still resonates decades later. Because storms come for all of us—grief, addiction, fear, failure—but the message of the song, and of their life together, is that storms pass.

“Your hand in mine stills the thunder

You make the sun want to shine…”

Final Thoughts

Today, “Storms Never Last” is more than just a country classic. It’s a reminder that even the most weathered hearts can find shelter in one another. That love, at its best, doesn’t demand perfection—it offers grace.

Jessi Colter and Waylon Jennings were country royalty. But their true legacy isn’t just gold records or fame. It’s that they dared to love each other, completely and unconditionally, through every storm.

And that love?

It never fades.

It only gets stronger with time.