Southern rocker Shooter Jennings and his longtime girlfriend, actress Drea de Matteo, became parents late last year. They named their bundle of joy Alabama Gypsyrose Jennings.
“Alabama,” Jennings explained in a recent phone interview, was a nod to de Matteo’s father, Al, and the heroine of the couple’s favorite movie, “True Romance.”
There’s also that whole Southern connection. “I love Hank (Williams) Jr., so the Alabama part worked,” he said, talking on his cell phone while sitting in his car with the baby and de Matteo. They were parked outside a California studio, where de Matteo was set to film her guest role in a new FX series, “Sons of Anarchy.”
As for the baby’s middle name, he said: “Gypsy Rose Lee was that very famous stripper.”
De Matteo could be heard protesting, saying something to the effect of “Don’t say she’s named after a stripper!” Her story: Gypsyrose was the name of a St. Bernard she was fond of.
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“It’s a mixture of all that,” Jennings concluded with a chuckle.
Fatherhood agrees with Jennings in ways the 28-year-old son of the late country rebel Waylon Jennings never imagined.
“It’s the most awesome thing I’ve done by far. She is the coolest thing ever. Every day just gets better,” he said. “ It’s so much fun hanging out with a little person that you made, you know?”
Jennings is set to perform next Thursday at the Rialto Dontown March 13 and returns to Tucson June 1 with Charlie Daniels Band at Casino del Sol’s AVA.
Shooter Jennings
• When: 8 p.m. next Thursday.
• Where: Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. • Tickets: $18 at the door.
• Details: 740-1000.
• Online: www.shooterjennings.com.
• Round-trip ticket: Jennings returns to Tucson June 1 with Charlie Daniels Band at Casino del Sol’s AVA.
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