The Outlaws of Country Music

The Outlaws of Country Music is a blog dedicated to exploring the lives and music of country music’s most colorful characters.

The Origins of Outlaw Country

Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music that began in the 1960s. It is characterized by its rough, often rebel-like sound. The sound of outlaw country music is a mix of traditional country music, honky-tonk, and rock. While cowboy music was the dominant form of country music in the early twentieth century, by the mid-century, a new style of country music had emerged. This new style, which came to be known as honky-tonk, was more danceable and upbeat than traditional cowboy music.

The Nashville Sound

In the 1950s and 1960s, country music in Nashville was pretty formulaic. Pretty much every song followed the same three-chord structure, and they all sounded more or less the same. This was the “Nashville Sound” that was defined by music executives in an attempt to make country music more appealing to a wider audience. This homogenization of country music led to a lot of artists feeling constrained by the formulaic song structures, and they began to look for ways to break out of the mold.

One way that they did this was by adding elements of other genres, like rock & roll and blues. This created a new subgenre of country music that came to be known as “outlaw country.” Outlaw country artists like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Merle Haggard were some of the most popular musicians in the 1970s, and their influence can still be heard in country music today.

The Bakersfield Sound

The Bakersfield sound was a twangy, guitar-driven subgenre of country music that arose in reaction to the slick, smooth Nashville sound that was coming to dominate country radio in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Led by artists such as Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and Bonnie Raitt, the Bakersfield sound harkened back to a more authentic, raw version of country music—one that emphasized guitar solos, fiddle breakdowns, and a rough-hewn vocal style.

With its roots in honky-tonk and Western swing, the Bakersfield sound was often associated with working-class values and a sense of regional pride. The songs were often about hardscrabble lives and hard times—a far cry from the jet-set lifestyle of Nashville stars like Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. But while the Bakersfield sound may have been out of step with the national trends in country music, it ultimately had a lasting impact on the genre as a whole.

The Outlaws

The Outlaws of Country Music were a group of country musicians who came to be known for their rebellious attitude and outlaw image. The Outlaws were made up of Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Tompall Glaser, and Jessi Colter. The group was often considered to be part of the second wave of the outlaw country movement.

Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. He is also known as “The Hag”, “Old Hag”, and “Bakersfield’s Bard”. Haggard rose to prominence in the 1960s with his album Strangers. His songs frequently incorporated social commentary on the American working class and tenderness for the common man. Along with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings, Haggard is considered an outlaw of country music.

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson is an outlaw in the truest sense of the word. A country music rebel who has forged his own path, both in his music and in his personal life, Willie Nelson has always done things his own way.

That independent streak has led him to great heights in his career, including multiple Grammy Awards and induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. It has also led to some controversy, including run-ins with the law and problems with substance abuse.

But through it all, Willie Nelson has remained a unique voice in country music, and an icon for fans all over the world.

Waylon Jennings

The Outlaws is a country music subgenre, most popular during the 1970s and early 1980s, sometimes referred to as the “outlaw movement” or simply “outlaw country.” The outlaw sound is defined by a tough, rock-influenced edge that takes traditional country music and infuses it with a rock & roll attitude. This sound was pioneered in the late 1960s and early 1970s by chart-topping artists such as Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser.

By the mid-1970s, the “outlaw” sound had infiltrated the country mainstream, thanks in part to Jennings’ popularity on radio and his 1976 album Wanted! The Outlaws, which featured Nelson, Colter, and Glaser on its cover. The album became the first million-selling LP in country music history, helping to legitimize the outlaw movement. Nelson followed suit with his own album of outlaw tunes, Red Headed Stranger, in 1975.

The Legacy of Outlaw Country

Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music that originally came about in the 1960s. The music is often characterized by its rebellious nature and DIY attitude. Outlaw country artists are often considered to be rebels who go against the grain of the country music establishment. The genre has produced some of the most iconic country music artists of all time, including Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash.

The Outlaw Movement

The Outlaw Movement began in the 1970s as a reaction to the polished and pop-influenced sound of Nashville. Led by musicians like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Jesse Colter, the Outlaws rejected the slick production values of Nashville in favor of a rougher, more natural sound. This new style was marked by longer songs, extended jamming, and a focus on personal expression over commercial success.

While the Outlaw Movement originally met with resistance from Nashville, its influence can now be heard throughout country music. Today, many of country music’s biggest stars – including Hank Williams Jr., Toby Keith, and Miranda Lambert – credit the Outlaws for paving the way for their success.

The Outlaw Image

While country music has always had a rebellious streak, the Outlaw Country movement of the 1970s took things to a whole new level. Led by figures like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Cash, Outlaw Country artists rejected the polished, pop-friendly sound that had come to dominate country music in favor of a rawer, more authentic sound.

And while they didn’t always see eye to eye, these Outlaws shared a similar disdain for the Nashville establishment and a determination to chart their own course. This rebellious attitude was reflected in both their music and their personal lives – which were often plagued by drug use, run-ins with the law, and failed relationships.

But despite (or perhaps because of) their rough exterior, the Outlaws of country music won over the hearts of fans across America. And their influence can still be felt in country music today.