A few days ago, Kris Kristofferson died. After I heard the news, my music genre for the week had been decided. As I listened to the earnest songs of Kris, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, David Allan Coe, Johnny Paycheck, and others, I was taken aback by my love for this generation of country music. Outlaw Country, as it was dubbed, has been in my soul since my earliest days and it will remain there until my last. In the beginning, I just loved the way the genre sounded: twangy guitars, deep raspy voices, and heavy bass lines. As I aged, I began to appreciate the lyrics and the pathos behind the music. These artists were advocating for the right to be themselves, to pursue creativity as they saw fit, and to take no shit from nobody.
In the ‘70s and ‘80s, Nashville ran country music much like it does today. The songs fit into a formula, and everything was polished clean. No long hair, no tattoos, no wild stories, no booze, certainly no weed, and, worst of all, no character. Outlaw Country was a direct response by a few artists to this choking of creativity by Nashville record companies. The artists I mentioned above carried the torch of the Outlaw movement and will forever live in fame.
To highlight this sentiment, one song rises to the top: Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way. Sung by Waylon Jennings and released in 1975, this track criticizes the commercialized country music industry by contrasting it with the authentic, rough-around-the-edges style of Hank Williams.
Somebody told me when I came to Nashville
"Son, you finally got it made!
Old Hank made it here, we're all sure that you will"
But I don't think Hank done it this way, no
I don't think Hank done it this way, okay
Today, there is a similar movement in country music. For years, the auto-tuned sounds and hollow melodies that have plagued modern country radio have pushed listeners and artists elsewhere. Thankfully, in the 21st century, we aren't stuck with the radio. Streaming, social media, and video-sharing platforms have given artists a platform outside of the Nashville bubble. Here are a few modern-day artists pushing the country sound in a lovely direction: Sturgill Simpson (Johnny Blue Skies), Sierra Ferrell, Colter Wall, Ryan Bingham, Margo Price, Tyler Childers, Bella White, Billy Strings, Cody Jinks, Jamey Johnson, Charley Crockett, and Whitey Morgan, to name a few. There are others, but those are the ones that stand out. These artists sing about hard times, psychedelics, social injustices, sad stories, happy stories, love lost, and love found. Their music represents the real human experience of everyday people, and strikes a similar tone to that pioneered by the original Outlaws of the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Sturgill Simpson, a pioneer of the recent Outlaw Country movement and a modern day Waylon Jennings, summed it up with his song Life Ain’t Fair and the World Is Mean.
Well that label man said, 'Son
Now can you sing a little bit more clear
Your voice might be too genuine
And your song's a little too sincere
&
Won’t hear my song on the radio
'Cause that new sounds all the rage
But you can always find me in a smokey bar
With bad sound and a dim-lit stage
Here’s another Sturgill line that’s bound to make you question the definition of modern country music.
Every time I take a look inside that old and fabled book
I'm blinded and reminded of the pain caused by some old man in the sky
Marijuana, LSD, psilocybin, DMT
They all changed the way I see
Love's the only thing that ever saved my life
I’ll let you read between the lines, but that’s quite an Outlaw perspective for a genre of music typically dominated by God-loving, drug-fearing folk. When this album was released in 2014, it achieved moderate success, but by no means soared off the charts. However, among those who appreciate the depth and grit of modern Outlaw Country, this album is considered one of the best ever. A country album centered around the exploration of hallucinogenic drugs may not work for Nashville, but it works for me. I recommend this album to anyone, psychonaut or not.
For further reading, here is an article from Rolling Stone magazine that explains the impact of the album and how Nashville quickly labeled Sturgill the “bad boy” of country music.
From the days of classic Outlaw Country, the men who made up the Highwaymen were of a different class. Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson worked incredibly well together, and in the mid-‘80s, the group of friends created a country supergroup. They released three albums, each one having a resounding impact and achieving critical acclaim. The group disbanded in the late ‘90s due to Waylon and Johnny both becoming substantially ill, in part, thanks to their rowdy lifestyle as touring musicians. Both died in the early 2000s; however, Kris and Willie continued to work together. My favorite song of the duo also features Snoop Dogg and Jamey Johnson and is called Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die - which is exactly what y’all should do when I kick the bucket.
So what's the point? Why are you telling me this, Cliff?
Well, sometimes we all need a reminder that every now and then, it’s our turn to be an Outlaw. To live a little faster. To stick it to the man. To smoke a joint. To swim upstream. To be different! To get a tattoo. To be true to ourselves…
Waylon Jennings stayed true to himself until the end of his days and never sacrificed what he stood for or who he was. In 2001, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame but declined to attend the ceremony.
The Outlaws of the ‘70s & ‘80s looked at Nashville and said, “Hell no.” I look at the world today and see plenty of things that make me say, “Hell no.”
What is that to you? What makes you different? What gets you fired up? What makes you want to defiantly skip your own award ceremony? Own it. Live it.
Be proud of who you are, who you are becoming, and certainly, who you want to be.
So go and live a little, bone turns brittle
Skin withers before your eyes
Make sure you give a little
Before you go to the great unknown in the sky
If you’re looking for more Outlaw Country, here is a playlist that combines the old and the new.
A man of taste. Sweet playlist
Love the playlist cliff thanks for sharing!
Nice entry…. Keep up the great writing and sharing:)