Outlaw country

Under Outlaw Country or outlaw movement refers to the rebellion of some predominantly Texan country musician against the Nashville establishment.

Forerunner

Johnny Cash was one of his rebellious nature and his songs about prisons and gunslingers since the late 1960s, the pioneers of the Outlaw movement.

The situation in the early 1970s

The sixties are considered the weakest period of country music. Producers had taken over the government in Nashville. They alone determine which songs appeared on an album which session musicians have been used and had to look like the final mix. Only the singer who lived outside of Nashville, such as Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, were able to escape the dictates of the producer. The strategy to make use of a small group of highly skilled session musicians instead of the backing of the stars, worked initially. The quality of the songs rose to an all-time high. The recordings were routinely, pulled through quickly and so inexpensive. It was earned during this time a lot of money. But over the years, lost the Nashville productions more and more originality and vitality. Country music had fallen into a period of stagnation.

The Outlaw Movement

It was at this time not very successful Willie Nelson, who according to some private problems of " Music City " returned 1971 his back and to Austin, Texas, deposed. Here he met a vibrant scene that welcomed him with open arms. Nelson was able to upload with selected his own musicians his songs on his own terms. The next well-known musicians who followed his example, Waylon Jennings was. From his 1972 song Ladies Love Outlaws incurred, written by Lee Clayton, including the catchy name of the new movement was derived. Unlike Nelson Jennings remained in Nashville. Here was built around the independent recording studio Hillbilly Central, the Glaser Brothers, another Outlaw center. Tompall Glaser was the third prominent protagonists of the new movement.

The Outlaw music oriented itself much more to the classical roots of country music than the far abgedriftete in the pop - bearing Nashville Sound. It was therefore no surprise that the fresh and vibrant music sold well with their simple arrangements. More and more artists joined in, including rough fellows as the ex - convict David Allan Coe. Nashville finally concluded his peace with the once unwanted and sometimes even feared outsiders. Basically it was even glad to have overcame the long period of stagnation and lack of orientation in the upper floors of the big record companies.

Your definite high point of the movement in 1976, when the song with Willie Nelson, Tompall Glaser, Waylon Jennings and his wife Jessi Colter compiled album Wanted! The Outlaws was published. For the first time in the history of country music so that an LP has sold more than one million copies. As more and more artists jumped on the train, the movement lost momentum and was inevitably after a short time at the end.

In May 1985, the most successful supporters of the movement, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson joined forces with her friend and role model, and Johnny Cash formed The Highwaymen.

The most important interpreters

Trailblazer:

In the center:

Environment:

Albums

  • Country music style
Austin (Texas) The Highwaymen (country supergroup)
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