Outlaw country

History and character

Outlaw country is the movement that in the 1970s rebelled against the polished Nashville sound (strings, backing vocals, producers who chose the musicians and repertoire) to return to a country that was raw, personal, and close to rock and folk. The roots already lie in the '50s–'60s (Johnny Cash, the Bakersfield sound of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard as a counterweight to “plastic” Nashville), but the peak came between the mid and late 1970s (already in decline from 1978). Willie Nelson left Nashville in 1971 to return to Texas, where he worked with Jerry Jeff Walker, Michael Martin Murphey, and Billy Joe Shaver; Austin and Lubbock became the creative centers. Waylon Jennings produced himself on “Lonesome, On'ry and Mean” (1973) and then “Honky Tonk Heroes” (on Shaver's songs): he and Nelson won the right to record with the producers and musicians they preferred.

The commercial manifesto is “Wanted! The Outlaws” (1976, with Jennings, Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser), the first country album certified platinum. Other key figures: Billy Joe Shaver (“Old Five and Dimers Like Me,” 1973), Kris Kristofferson (tied to the Chicago folk scene of John Prine and Steve Goodman, and considered a disciple of Johnny Cash), David Allan Coe, Hank Williams Jr. (his biggest success in the '80s), Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Steve Earle as the Texan songwriting soul, and Johnny Cash himself, relaunched by the prison albums (At Folsom Prison, At San Quentin) and later in the Highwaymen with Nelson, Jennings, and Kristofferson. The neotraditional revival of the '80s and, later, Steve Earle, Jamey Johnson, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers, and Zach Bryan have carried on its legacy.

The sound: the orchestrations are stripped away, returning to the core of the band (Telecaster, bass, drums, steel, acoustics), with rhythms and influences from rock, folk, R&B, and soul (often played by Memphis and Muscle Shoals musicians), baritone, “lived-in” voices, and introspective, anti-establishment lyrics (the road, alcohol, prison, freedom).

Scales and keys

Major and minor pentatonic

• Major pentatonic on E: E F# G# B C#. Minor: E G A B D.
• Characteristic note: the shift between the two (G and G#) gives outlaw guitar its “dirty,” bluesy color.
• Use: Telecaster riffs, bass licks, vocal melodies in the medium-low register.
• Real-world example: Waylon Jennings — Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way (riff on the E pentatonic).
• Common mistakes: licks that are too clean and “Nashville”: outlaw prefers simple, rough phrases.

Major (Ionian)

• On G: G A B C D E F#. Chords: G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em.
• Use: ballads and singer-songwriter songs (Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark).

Mixolydian

• On D: D E F# G A B C. Characteristic note: b7 (C) and the bVII chord (C in D).
• Use: country rock and southern riffs; I–bVII–IV progressions.

Blues scale

• On A: A C D Eb E G. Use: honky-tonk and blues tunes (Cash's Folsom Prison Blues is a 12-bar blues in a country version), guitar and harmonica solos.

Natural minor

• On E: E F# G A B C D. Chords (natural minor): Em (i), G (III), Am (iv), Bm (v), C (VI), D (VII).
• Use: “dark” ballads and murder ballads (Townes Van Zandt, Sturgill Simpson).

How to choose

Harmony

Harmonic function

Simple harmony (I–IV–V, vi, bVII), as in the honky-tonk tradition, but with more freedom: two-chord vamps, 12-bar blues, rock progressions, “dirty” seventh chords, long sections on a single chord in the more rhythmic tunes (the “Waylon beat”).

Typical elements

• I–IV–V with the V7.
• Country 12-bar blues (Folsom Prison Blues).
• I–bVII–IV–I (rock, southern).
• I–IV vamp or I with bass and Telecaster riffs.
• Ballads with I–iii–IV–V and bass walk-downs (Willie Nelson).
• Rare modulations: outlaw avoids the “tricks” of pop production.

Voicings

Open chords on the acoustic, power chords and double stops on the Telecaster (often with a phaser, the “Waylon” sound), the jazzy chords of Willie Nelson's nylon guitar (“Trigger”), steel with long pads.

Harmonic rhythm

Slow: 1 chord per 1–2 bars, 4–8-bar vamps.

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

Feel

• “Waylon beat”: a heavy, “dragging” mid-tempo groove, bass and kick very marked on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4, guitar with phaser playing eighth notes or the riff; almost a slow rock.
• Train beat (Johnny Cash) and boom-chick.
• Honky-tonk and Texas shuffle.
• Slow ballads in 4/4 or 3/4.

Accents

Strong backbeat, heavy kick; the bass often accents the “&” of 4 before the one.

Microtiming

More “relaxed” and behind the beat than the Nashville sound; recordings with the band playing together, without rigid correction.

Drums

Principle

Outlaw drumming is simple, heavy, and “live”: bar-band grooves, no studio sophistication, lots of feel. References: Richie Albright (Waylon Jennings), Paul English (Willie Nelson), W.S. Holland (Johnny Cash), today Derek Mixon (Chris Stapleton), Miles Miller (Sturgill Simpson).

Waylon beat

• Kick on 1 and 3, loud (steps 1 and 9), sometimes also on the “&” of 2.
• Full snare on 2 and 4.
• Eighth notes on the hi-hat or on the ride.
• Floor tom reinforcing the quarter notes in some sections.

Train beat (Cash)

Brushes or sticks in sixteenth notes on the snare with accents on 2 and 4, kick on 1 and 3.

Shuffle

Ride/hat in triplets, snare on 2 and 4, kick on 1 and 3.

Ballad

Cross-stick on 2 and 4, kick on the one, brushes; cymbals with mallets in the choruses.

Dynamics

Medium and steady, with a crescendo in the choruses; backbeat velocity 105–120.

Interaction

Kick and bass “heavy” together; the drums leave room for the baritone voice.

Sections

Intro (riff or fill), verse, chorus, Telecaster or steel or harmonica solo, verse, chorus, tag.

Fills

Short and “from the gut” (snare and floor tom), crash at the start of sections.

Sounds

1970s kit with large, muffled toms, full, dull kick, deep snare, dark cymbals; room sound.

Typical mistakes

Glossy modern pop drumming, “perfect” Nashville fills, an overly rigid click, funk ghost notes.

Bass

Sound

Full electric bass (Precision), often a bit saturated; upright bass on acoustic tunes.

Notes

Root on 1, fifth or octave on 3, walk-ups and walk-downs, lines playing the riff in unison with the guitar (Waylon); in rock tunes, eighth notes.

Relationship with the kick

“Heavy” unison on 1 and 3; the bass is the engine of the Waylon beat.

Harmonic instruments

• Telecaster with phaser (MXR Phase 90: the Waylon Jennings sound), riffs and double stops, chicken pickin'.
• Nylon-string classical guitar (Willie Nelson with “Trigger,” Martin N-20): jazzy chords and Django-style solos.
• Acoustic guitars (strumming, Travis picking).
• Pedal steel and dobro.
• Harmonica (Mickey Raphael with Willie Nelson).
• Honky-tonk piano and organ (Memphis/Muscle Shoals soul and R&B).

Melody and vocals

Lead vocals

Baritone, deep, lived-in voices (Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Chris Stapleton with his soul timbre), nearly spoken singing in some verses, free phrasing “behind the beat” (Willie Nelson is famous for singing ahead of or behind the beat).

Harmonies

Duets (Waylon & Willie, The Highwaymen in turn), simple second voices in thirds or at the octave; “band” backing vocals in the choruses.

Instruments as voices

Harmonica and steel answer the voice; short, melodic solos.

Effects

Relatively dry voice, light slapback or short plate; little or no “polish.”

Instruments

• Baritone voice
• Telecaster (with phaser), nylon guitar, acoustic guitars
• Pedal steel, dobro
• Electric bass
• Drums
• Harmonica
• Piano, organ
• Fiddle (in some groups)

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• Piano V — Piano: Honky-tonk and ballads: upright with a bit of detune for the bar color; grand for Willie Nelson's ballads.
• B-3 V — Organ: Muscle Shoals–style country soul (Chris Stapleton, 1970s Waylon): drawbars 888000000 or 008800000, slow Leslie, light overdrive.
• Wurli V — Wurlitzer: 1970s color for ballads and mid-tempo tunes.

Song structure

Form

• Intro (4–8): Telecaster, harmonica, or steel riff.
• Verse 1 (16) – Chorus (8–16).
• Verse 2 (16) – Chorus.
• Solo (8–16: Telecaster, steel, harmonica, or nylon).
• Verse or bridge – Final chorus – Tag (often a fade).
• Length 2:45–4:30; narrative ballads longer.

Arrangement

A “bar” band: everyone plays almost all the time, dynamics come from intensity; few overdubs, no strings or session backing vocals.

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

A band in a room, rough but clear: baritone vocal up front with its body, heavy bass and kick, cutting Telecaster, steel and harmonica in the gaps. References: Waylon Jennings — Honky Tonk Heroes, Willie Nelson — Red Headed Stranger (essential), Chris Stapleton — Traveller, Sturgill Simpson — Metamodern Sounds in Country Music. Loudness −12/−9 LUFS.

Kick

HP 40 Hz; 60–80 Hz +2/+3 dB; −3 dB at 350 Hz; 2 kHz +1 dB; compression 4:1, 3–4 dB; center.

Snare

HP 100 Hz; 180–200 Hz body; −2 dB at 600 Hz; 4 kHz +1/+2 dB; compression 3–5 dB; room/plate 0.8–1.3 s.

Hi-hat and cymbals

HP 300 Hz; LP 12–14 kHz for a 1970s sound; pan 20–30%.

Bass

HP 35 Hz; 60–100 Hz +2/+3 dB; −2 dB at 250 Hz; 800 Hz +1/+2 dB; amp saturation; opto 4–6 dB; center.

Guitars

• Telecaster with phaser: HP 100 Hz; −2 dB at 300 Hz; 2–3 kHz presence; compression 3 dB; spring/room; pan 30–50%.
• Acoustics: HP 100 Hz; −3 dB at 200 Hz; presence 4 kHz; wide pan.
• Nylon (Willie): HP 80 Hz; −2 dB at 200 Hz; 2–4 kHz; center or 20%.

Steel, dobro, harmonica

Steel: HP 120 Hz; 1–3 kHz; plate/hall 1.5–2 s; pan opposite the Telecaster. Harmonica: HP 150 Hz; −2 dB at 1–2 kHz if it squeals; 3–5 kHz; compression 3 dB; short room; pan 20%.

Piano and organ

Piano: HP 60 Hz; −2 dB at 300 Hz; moderate stereo pan. Organ: HP 80 Hz; −2/−3 dB at 300–500 Hz; Leslie.

Baritone vocal

• EQ: HP 70–80 Hz (don't cut too much: the body is at 100–200 Hz); −2 dB at 300–400 Hz if muddy; presence 2–4 kHz (+2 dB); light de-esser.
• Compression: 1176 (4:1, 3–5 dB) + opto 2–3 dB.
• Saturation: tape/tube.
• Space: slapback 100–130 ms + short plate 1 s; a “close” voice.

FX

Slapback, spring, and plate; the Telecaster's phaser recorded in.

Buses and groups

Drum bus (2–3 dB), band bus with tape, glue 1–2 dB on the mix.

Sidechain

Never.

Master

Chain: EQ (HP 30 Hz) – compressor 2:1, 1–2 dB – tape – limiter. Target −11/−9 LUFS integrated, true peak −1 dBTP.

Common mistakes

A baritone vocal hollowed out by too high an HP, a mix that is too “Nashville pop” (bright and compressed), overlapping steel and Telecaster, modern drums with samples.

Reference tracks for the mix

Waylon Jennings — Honky Tonk Heroes; Willie Nelson — Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain; Johnny Cash — Folsom Prison Blues (live); Chris Stapleton — Traveller; Sturgill Simpson — Turtles All the Way Down.

Reference listening

• Johnny Cash — Folsom Prison Blues (live at Folsom Prison, 1968)
• Kris Kristofferson — Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down (1970)
• Waylon Jennings — Honky Tonk Heroes (1973)
• Billy Joe Shaver — Old Five and Dimers Like Me (1973)
• Willie Nelson — Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain (1975)
• Waylon Jennings — Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way (1975)
• Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson — Good Hearted Woman (1976)
• Hank Williams Jr. — Family Tradition (1979)
• The Highwaymen — Highwayman (1985)
• Steve Earle — Copperhead Road (1988)
• Sturgill Simpson — Turtles All the Way Down (2014)
• Chris Stapleton — Traveller (2015)