A Brief History of Outlaw Country
Nashville was and still is the epicenter of country music and back in the 70's it was overrun with producers and record labels who were cranking out hits for the money. The town wasn't what it used to be. Artists were bound by their contracts to record cookie cutter albums that would guarantee record sales. The "outlaws" were singers and songwriters who wanted to break away from the Nashville music scene and do things their own way. This new take on a stagnating genre would later be known as outlaw country.
Before country music was about tractor-tippin, beer-sippin cowboys and their strange love affairs with their pickup trucks, a certain group of artists known as the “outlaws” pioneered an artistic movement that would send shockwaves through the music industry. When country got too mainstream and the artists got too soft, the “outlaws” steered the genre into a new direction. Hard partying, rampant drug and alcohol use turned lovable country gentleman into long haired grizzly rebels.
The origins of outlaw country are murky, music historians argue Bobby Bare unintentionally started the movement, some say it was Willie Nelson, and others say Waylon Jennings led the charge. No matter who inspired the movement they all wanted the same thing, freedom. These musicians wanted creative control over their albums and to move away from the “Nashville System”.
In 1971 country singer Bobby Bare (pictured right) negotiated a contract with RCA Records that gave him the ability to produce his own albums. A contract like this was rare and practically unheard of for a country singer at the time, but this would soon motivate other artists to negotiate the same terms with their labels. Bobby Bare released multiple albums and reached a new success with his album, Bobby Bare Sings Lullabies, Legends, and Lies. Though he never reached the same heights as his peers, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, he unknowingly inspired a generation of musicians to take control of their art.
Willie Nelson wasn't always the braided, pothead country star that he is today. His music career began as a struggling singer/songwriter and he eventually gained some popularity by writing songs for Patsy Cline. He had a talent for songwriting which helped him get a job in Nashville with Pamper Music as a staff writer. He still sang and preformed regularly, but the Nashville crowd didn't seem to like his style. Willie missed home, it was in Texas where he could play wherever and whenever he wanted and the crowd would love him. After his house just outside Nashville caught fire, Willie knew it was time to move back home. It was in Austin, where Willie grew out his hair, experimented with LSD and worked with other like-minded country artists that just needed a little taste of freedom.
There is no Willie without a Waylon, and if Waylon Jennings hadn't of cheated death in 1959, outlaw country might have never existed. Waylon Jennings began his music career as Buddy Holly's bassist (pictured left), he was supposed to be on the infamous flight that killed Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper, and Buddy Holly. The Big Bopper caught the flu from riding around in a frozen tour bus and Waylon kindly offered him his seat on the doomed flight. Buddy Holly jokingly told Waylon, " I hope your ol' bus freezes up." As a response to Holly's joke, Waylon crudely replied, "I hope your ol' plane crashes." After news of the plane crash, Waylon considered retiring from music altogether, but he continued on with his music career where he eventually met Willie Nelson and moved to Nashville.
In 1972 Waylon hit rock bottom, he was in debt, struggled with Hepatitis and had a terrible relationship with his record label. He was lost and with guidance from a friend he found his way to Neil Reshen. Reshen managed musical greats such as Miles Davis, Frank Zappa, and the Velvet Underground. Shortly after their initial meeting, Waylon would sign with Reshen who was able to negotiate a contract that granted him full creative control over his albums. Once Willie got wind of this, he hired Reshen as his manager too. Willie and Waylon were at the forefront of the outlaw movement, this new-found freedom led them to the best years of their musical careers. This new genre of country music appealed to the cowboys and the hippies, this was something new, and something that they could all gather round to listen to.
The outlaw country movement reached it’s peak in the 1970’s, singers like Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Townes Van Zandt, Jessi Colter, and Johnny Cash were at the height of their popularity. Unfortunately, near the end of the decade the movement came to a stop. Artists were getting older and the outlaw lifestyle was catching up with them. Decades of touring hopped up on speed and drinking ‘til the cows came home left many artists beat and the rise of pop country had artists struggling to maintain their place on the country charts. Artists and listeners alike were tired of hearing songs of traveling cowboys and their adventures with their friends. Eventually, artists got sober, settled down, and slowly the party came to an end. Besides the formation of the Highwaymen in the 80’s, outlaw country would never be the same. In an industry where creative expression can be hard to come by, Bobby Bare, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings showed that freedom is greater than profit, and it’s even greater with your friends.
Wanted! The Outlaws, was a compilation album released in 1976 and is a great introduction into the outlaw country subgenre. The album features Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser each providing their own signature sound to this country masterpiece.
