Outlaw country was a significant trend in country music during the late 1960s and the 1970s (and even into the 1980s in some cases), commonly referred to as The Outlaw Movement (both by fans and by people in the music industry) or simply Outlaw music. Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. [1] The focus of the movement has been on self-declared "outlaws", such as Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, David Allan Coe, Willie Nelson and Billy Joe Shaver. Johnny Cash (born J R Cash; February 26 1932 - September 12 2003 was a Grammy Award -winning American country Singer-songwriter. Waylon Arnold Jennings ( June 15, 1937 &ndash February 13, 2002) was an influential American Country music Singer David Allan Coe (born September 5, 1936 in Akron Ohio) is an American Country music singer who achieved his greatest popularity in the 1970s Willie Nelson (born April 30, 1933) is an American country Singer-songwriter and Actor. Billy Joe Shaver (He was born August 16, 1939 in Corsicana Texas) is an American Country music singer and songwriter The reason for the movement has been attributed to a reaction to the Nashville sound, developed by record producers like Chet Atkins who softened the raw honky tonk sound that was predominant in the music of performers like Jimmie Rodgers, and his successors such as Hank Williams, George Jones and Lefty Frizzell. The Nashville sound arose during the late 1950s as a sub-genre of American Country music, replacing the chart dominance of Honky tonk music which was Chester Burton "Chet" Atkins ( June 20, 1924 &ndash June 30, 2001) was an influential Guitarist and Record producer A honky tonk (also called a honkatonk, honkey-tonk, or tonk) is a type of bar with musical entertainment that is common in the Southwestern Jimmie Rodgers ( September 8, 1897 – May 26, 1933) an early purveyor of Delta blues, known as "The Singing Brakeman" Hank Williams ( September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American Singer-songwriter and Musician who has George Glenn Jones (born September 12, 1931 in Saratoga Texas) is an award-winning American Country music singer known for his long list of William Orville 'Lefty' Frizzell ( March 31, 1928 &ndash July 19, 1975) was an American Country music Singer and According to Aaron Fox (2004, p. Aaron Fox is an American ethnomusicologist anthropologist and professional country guitarist 51) "the fundamental opposition between law-and-order authoritarianism and the image of 'outlaw' authenticity. . . has structured country's discourse of masculinity since the days of Jimmie Rodgers. "
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Seeds of change
The roots of the outlaw movement can be traced to the 1950s. A major influence on the outlaw movement was Elvis Presley's bluesy covers of country standards. However, an even greater transition occurred after Waylon Jennings was able to secure his own recording rights, and began the trend of bucking the "Nashville Sound. Waylon Arnold Jennings ( June 15, 1937 &ndash February 13, 2002) was an influential American Country music Singer "
The 1960s was a decade of enormous change and the change was reflected in the revolution in the music of the time. The Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones cast off the traditional role of the recording artist. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major They wrote their own material, they had creative input to their albums, they refused to conform to what society required of its youth. At the same time, country music was declining into a formulaic genre that appeared to offer the establishment what it wanted with artists such as Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton making the kind of music that was anathema to the growing counter culture. Porter Wayne Wagoner ( August 12, 1927 &ndash October 28, 2007) was an American Country music singer Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American Country music Singer / Songwriter, Author, actress While Nashville continued to be the focus of country music, other centers included Lubbock, Tulsa and Austin.
The rise of the outlaws
The term "outlaw country" is derived from the song "Ladies Love Outlaws" written by Lee Clayton and sung by Waylon Jennings on the 1972 album of the same name. Lee Clayton (born October 29, 1942 in Russellville Alabama, U Ladies Love Outlaws is an Album by Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Records in 1972 It became associated with singers who grew their hair long, wore denim and leather and looked like hippies in contrast to the clean cut country singers in Nudie suits that were pushing the Nashville sound. Nudie Cohn ( December 15 1902 – May 9 1984) was a Ukrainian - American Tailor, known for designing Rhinestone The Nashville sound arose during the late 1950s as a sub-genre of American Country music, replacing the chart dominance of Honky tonk music which was The success of these singers did much to restore the rawness and life force to country music. The songs were about drinking, drugs, hard working men and honky tonk heroes. A honky tonk (also called a honkatonk, honkey-tonk, or tonk) is a type of bar with musical entertainment that is common in the Southwestern The music was more like rock and roll and there were no strings in the background. Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African
Waylon, Willie and friends
Although Jennings and Nelson are regarded as the stereotypical outlaws, there were several other writers and performers who provided the material that infused the movement with the outlaw spirit. Some people have noted that Jennings and Nelson were Nashville veterans whose careers were revived by the movement and that they drew on the energy that was being generated in their home state of Texas to spearhead the attack on the Nashville producers. Jennings, in particular, forced his record company to let him produce his own albums. In 1973 he produced Lonesome, On'ry and Mean. Lonesome On'ry and Mean is an Album by Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1973 The theme song was written by Steve Young, a songwriter and performer who never made it in the mainstream, but whose songs helped to create the outlaw style. Steve Young (born July 12, 1942) is an American Country music singer songwriter and Guitarist, best known for his song " Seven The follow up album for Jennings was Honky Tonk Heroes and the songwriting hero was Texan Billy Joe Shaver. Honky Tonk Heroes is an Album by Waylon Jennings, released in 1973 on RCA Victor. Billy Joe Shaver (He was born August 16, 1939 in Corsicana Texas) is an American Country music singer and songwriter Like Steve Young, Shaver never made it big, but his 1973 album Old Five and Dimers Like Me is considered a country classic in the outlaw genre.
Willie Nelson's career as a songwriter in Nashville peaked in the late 1960s. His "Crazy" was a massive hit for Patsy Cline, but as a singer, he was getting nowhere. Patsy Cline (b Virginia Patterson Hensley September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American Country He left Nashville in 1971 to return to Texas. The musicians he met in Austin had been developing the folk and rock influenced country music that grew into the outlaw genre. Performing and associating with the likes of Jerry Jeff Walker, Michael Martin Murphey and Billy Joe Shaver helped shape his future career. Jerry Jeff Walker (born March 16, 1942) is a Country music singer Michael Martin Murphey (born March 14, 1945) is a writer and performer of American Music. At the same time as Nelson was reinventing himself, other significant influencers were writing and playing in Austin and Lubbock. Butch Hancock, Joe Ely and Jimmie Dale Gilmore formed The Flatlanders, a group that never sold huge numbers of albums, but continues to perform. Butch Hancock is a country / Folk music recording artist and song writer Joe Ely (born February 9 1947 in Amarillo Texas) is an American singer songwriter and guitarist whose music touches on Honky-tonk, country Jimmie Dale Gilmore (born May 6, 1945) is a country singer songwriter actor recording artist and producer currently living in Austin, The Flatlanders are a country band from Lubbock Texas founded by singers/songwriters/guitarists Jimmie The three founders have each made a significant contribution to the development of the outlaw genre.
Other Texans, like Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and later, Steve Earle, have developed the outlaw ethos through their songs and their lifestyles. PLEASE DO NOT ADD YOUR BAND YOUR FRIEND'S BAND YOURSELF OR YOUR FRIEND TO THIS SECTION Guy Clark (born 6 November 1941) is a Songwriter and Country musician Biography Clark was born in Monahans Stephen 'Steve' Fain Earle (ɝl is an American Singer-songwriter, well known for his rock and Country music, as well as his political views Ethos (ˈiːθɒs (grc ἦθος ἔθος plurals ethe (ἤθη ethea (ἤθεα is a Greek word originally meaning "accustomed
Kenny Rogers had developed a style similar, in many ways, to "outlaw country", mixing traditional country with rock, pop and even disco. Kenneth Ray "Kenny" Rogers (born August 21, 1938, in Houston Texas) is an American Country music Singer-songwriter However, he was considered too commercial by some in the industry. Despite becoming the biggest Country star in the world, he was snubbed every year by the Country Music Association for the prized "Entertainer Of the Year" Award (despite winning in other categories). The Country Music Association (CMA was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. Rogers himself later commented that hurt him. However, he did win that award from the CMA rival, the Academy of Country Music. The Academy of Country Music (ACM was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy
Women outlaws
Although Outlaw Country was mainly ruled by the domain of men, there were some women that pursued musical careers in Country Music that considered themselves "Outlaws" as well. Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. There are really only two women that became major outlaw stars in Country Music, which were Jessi Colter and Sammi Smith. Jessia Colter (born Miriam Johnson, May 25 1947 is an American Country music artist who is best known for her conjuction with her husband country singer and songwriter Sammi Smith ( August 5, 1943 - February 12, 2005) was a Country music Singer and Songwriter.
Jessi Colter was the wife of the Outlaw pioneer Waylon Jennings. Waylon Arnold Jennings ( June 15, 1937 &ndash February 13, 2002) was an influential American Country music Singer She married Jennings in 1968. In the mid-70s, she pursued a solo career, and immediately achieved Outlaw status after she scored a #1 country hit, that also reached #4 on the pop charts, titled "I'm Not Lisa", which was penned by Colter herself. "I'm Not Lisa" is a popular 1975 country and pop Song by country music artist Jessi Colter. Her 1975 album I'm Jessi Colter showed more of Colter's Outlaw side showing Colter in a saloon-like setting, resting her arm on a piano. I'm Jessi Colter is the name of a Country album by Jessi Colter in 1975. A bar (also called a Pub or Tavern) is a business that serves drinks especially Alcoholic beverages such as beer liquor and mixed drinks for consumption Colter officially gained full-on Outlaw status when she was featured on the compilation album, along with her husband, called Wanted! The Outlaws. Wanted! The Outlaws is an Album by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser, released in RCA The album was a huge commercial and critical success and won many awards.
Besides Jessi Colter, there was one other woman who achieved the Outlaw success her male counterparts did: Sammi Smith, a singer from California. Sammi Smith ( August 5, 1943 - February 12, 2005) was a Country music Singer and Songwriter. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Smith was unafraid to sing songs that were considered too "risky" or spoke of the realities of the modern life. Her voice was husky from singing in smoky bars before she achieved fame. Smith made it big in 1971, when she recorded the sexy come-on song by Kris Kristofferson titled "Help Me Make It Through the Night. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE-ROMEOS*************** " Help Me Make It Through the Night " is a Country music ballad composed by Kris Kristofferson and released on his 1970 album Kristofferson " The song brought Smith to the #1 spot on the country charts, and even made her a crossover star, at #8 on the pop charts. The song won her a Grammy award in 1972 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance was first awarded in 1965 to Dottie West. She officially became an Outlaw when she moved down to Texas and became fast friends with Willie Nelson. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Willie Nelson (born April 30, 1933) is an American country Singer-songwriter and Actor. She regularly attended his Fourth of July picnics every year.
Texas Country
Newer artists, such as Robert Earl Keen Jr., Roger Creager, Kevin Fowler, Shooter Jennings, Wade Bowen, Jimmy Aldridge, and groups such as Randy Rogers Band, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jason Boland & the Stragglers, and Eli Young Band, who grew up during the original outlaw movement, have recently been re-energizing the Outlaw Movement and keeping with the "outlaw spirit". Robert Earl Keen Junior (born January 11 1956 in Houston Texas) is a Texan Singer-songwriter. Roger Creager (1971-) is an award-winning Texas Country music Singer and Songwriter. Kevin Fowler (born Amarillo Texas) is an American Country music artist Shooter Jennings (born Waylon Albright Jennings, May 19, 1979) is an American Country music singer The Randy Rogers Band is an American Country music group from the state of Texas. Cross Canadian Ragweed is an American Country music quartet The band's name comes from three of the members' last names Grady Cross, Cody Canada Jason Boland & The Stragglers is a Country Music quintet formed in 1998 in Stillwater Oklahoma, home of Red Dirt music The Eli Young Band are an American Country music band based in Denton Texas. Also, older artists such as Ray Wylie Hubbard, Billy Joe Shaver, and David Allan Coe have also been contributing to the resurgence of the outlaw sound. Ray Wylie Hubbard (born 13 November 1946 in Soper Oklahoma) is an American Country music Singer and Songwriter Billy Joe Shaver (He was born August 16, 1939 in Corsicana Texas) is an American Country music singer and songwriter David Allan Coe (born September 5, 1936 in Akron Ohio) is an American Country music singer who achieved his greatest popularity in the 1970s Many fans (most of which feel they're also being oppressed, but can't "fight the system" and "survive,") have embraced this "New Outlaw Movement". Because many of these artists are native Texans or call Texas their home, it is often referred to as Texas Country. Texas Country Music (more popularly known just as "Texas Country" or "Texas music") is a rapidly growing sub-genre of Country Robert Earl Keen and Pat Green are most notably credited with bringing Texas Country out of the honky tonks and onto college campuses. Robert Earl Keen Junior (born January 11 1956 in Houston Texas) is a Texan Singer-songwriter. Pat Green (born Patrick Craven Green, April 5, 1972 in San Antonio Texas) is an American Country music artist Keen, a graduate of Texas A&M University, where he and fellow songwritter Lyle Lovett were roommates, has been performing on college campuses since the late 80's. Texas A&M University, often called A&M or TAMU, is a Coeducational public Research University located in College Station Along with Green's shows in the late 90's, these artists began to increase with incredible popularity on college campuses in Texas and Oklahoma including Texas Tech, (Green's Alma Mater), Texas A&M, Oklahoma State University (home of the red dirt music scene) and the University of Texas. Texas Tech University is a public, coeducational research university in Lubbock Texas. Their popularity gave more exposure to other Texas Country artists like Cory Morrow, Roger Creager, and Kevin Fowler and to groups like Cooder Graw. Cory Morrow (born May 1, 1972 in Houston, Texas) is a Singer / Songwriter who has gained popularity throughout the Southwest
In 1998, maverick record executive Rick Smith, of Fort Worth, launched the "Live at Billy_Bob's Texas" series of recordings, which have featured legends such as Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel, Merle Haggard, David Allan Coe and popular Texas Country artists like Pat Green, Jack Ingram, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jason Boland & the Stragglers, Cooder Graw, the Randy Rogers Band and Kevin Fowler. Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas and the seventeenth-largest city in the United States. Billy Bob's Texas is a popular Country & western nightclub in the Fort Worth Stockyards, Texas, United States. Asleep at the Wheel, is a multiple Grammy Award -winning Country / Western Swing band formed in Paw Paw West Virginia, but based in Austin Merle Ronald Haggard (born April 6, 1937) is an American Country music Singer, Guitarist and Songwriter. Pat Green (born Patrick Craven Green, April 5, 1972 in San Antonio Texas) is an American Country music artist Jack Owen Ingram (born November 15 1970 is an American Country music artist Cross Canadian Ragweed is an American Country music quartet The band's name comes from three of the members' last names Grady Cross, Cody Canada Jason Boland & The Stragglers is a Country Music quintet formed in 1998 in Stillwater Oklahoma, home of Red Dirt music Cooder Graw was a self-described "loud country" ( Country music / Alternative country) band from Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas The Randy Rogers Band is an American Country music group from the state of Texas. Kevin Fowler (born Amarillo Texas) is an American Country music artist These recordings, along with a fertile musical climate in Texas, have sparked a resurgence in the rough and tumble anti-Nashville sentiment of country music and solidified Billy Bob's Texas, "The World's Largest Honky Tonk", as the home for this movement.
Other Texas based artists, such as Steve Earle, Eleven Hundred Springs, Wayne "The Train" Hancock, Dale Watson, Stoney LaRue and Hayes Carll continue the tradition of their Outlaw Country forebearers in Texas and have helped usher in the movement in honkytonks across the U. Stephen 'Steve' Fain Earle (ɝl is an American Singer-songwriter, well known for his rock and Country music, as well as his political views Eleven Hundred Springs is a country rock band from Texas. Their influences include Willie Nelson, Buck Owens and Doug Sahm. Wayne "The Train" Hancock (Born May 1 1965) is a country musician Dale Watson (b 1962 Birmingham Alabama is an American Alternative country singer guitarist and songwriter based in Austin Texas. Joshua Hayes Carll, known as Hayes Carll, is a singer/songwriter from The Woodlands Texas currently signed to Lost Highway Records. S.
Other artists, such as Hank Williams III, Scott H. Shelton Hank Williams III ( December 12, 1972) is an American musician Biram, Bobby Bare Jr., Lucinda Williams, Miss Derringer, Justin Otto and Rodeo Kill continue the Outlaw Country way, by staying out of mainstream country music and continue to break the rules of traditional country music by combining country elements with punk rock, hip-hop, and rockabilly into a style sometimes referred to as alt-country. Bobby Bare Jr (born c 1969 is a Grammy-nominated American musician who has recorded several solo albums along with two albums with his band Bare Jr Lucinda Williams (born January 26, 1953) is an American rock, folk, and Country music singer and songwriter Miss Derringer is a Los Angeles based rock band fronted by singer and underground artist Elizabeth McGrath and her husband/songwriter Morgan Slade Hip hop is a cultural movement which developed in New York City in the 1970s primarily among African Americans and Latinos. Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of Rock and roll music and emerged in the early 1950s Alternative country is a term used to describe a number of Country music subgenres that tend to differ from mainstream or pop country music
See also
Further reading
- Country Music. Southern rock is a subgenre of Rock music. It developed in the Southern United States from Rock and roll, Country music, and Blues The Rough Guide,
Kurt Wolff, Rough Guides, 2000, ISBN 1-85828-534-8 - The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock,
Jan Reid, University of Texas Press; New edition, 2004, ISBN 0-292-70197-7
Source
- Bad Music: The Music We Love to Hate,
Washburne, Christopher J. and Derno, Maiken (eds. ), 2004, Routledge, ISBN 0-415-94366-3.- Fox, Aaron A. "White Trash Alchemies of the Abject Sublime: Country as 'Bad' Music"
External links
- Spirit Of The Outlaws - The Outlaw Music Magazine
- Outlaw country history
- AMG essays on country music themes
- Americana Music News, Reviews, Interviews and Podcast Shows
Listen to
- KHYI 95.3 The Range "The 50,000 Watt Blowtorch of Twang" Classic Country and Americana Music. The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc The only Texas Country music radio station in the Dallas area. Texas Country Music (more popularly known just as "Texas Country" or "Texas music") is a rapidly growing sub-genre of Country
- Roy Harter's Outlaw Hour 10 pm - 11 pm UK time Every Sunday night.
- 96.3 KSCS Classic Country Saturday Night 7pm-12 Midnight Central Time Country classics with "the Trooper. " Dallas, Texas
- Len Brown's Country Roots, Friday mornings on KOOP-FM, Austin
- Heartland Public Radio's Classic Heartland Radio station with classic country legends from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, live from Branson, Missouri.
- Outlaw Punk Cowboy Show Twangtastic Ya'llternative Country Podcast, the best in AltCountry, Rockabilly, GuerillaGrass, Hick Hop, Redneck Metal, Outlaw Country.
- Jimmy Aldridge New outlaw country music from Nashville
Dictionary
outlaw country
-noun
- A subgenre of country music that became popular during the 1970s, fusing older styles (such as honky tonk) with newer styles including rock and blues. Artists involved wrote their own material, demanded creative control of their music and adopted an "outlaw" image.
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