Cody Jinks On New Outlaw Country Film: “Where’s Whitey and Ward?”
Cody Jinks is not letting go of his beef with who and what is being characterized as “Outlaw.” Recently, the multi-Platinum artist took Billboard to task after they published an article both celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Wanted: The Outlaws compilation, and previewed the premier of the new 10-part documentary series They Called Us Outlaws.
Specifically, Cody Jinks was incensed that performers like Jason Aldean, Luke Combs, Zach Bryan, and others were characterized as “modern-day outlaws.” “…the article is garbage. The only ‘modern outlaw’ to make the list is Jamey Johnson. Jamey actually told his label to Eff Off! I love the rest of the artists on that list and have played with them but they are not outlaws,” Jinks said in part.
On Tuesday morning (3-17), Cody Jinks once again took to social media after doing more research into the They Called Us Outlaws documentary to say,
My apologies. At the time of my last post, I didn’t know this article was a fluff piece by a senior writer at Billboard about a documentary backed by the Country Music Hall of Fame and an AI tech entrepreneur that bought his way into the country music label elite’s favoritism.
No doubt this documentary will have great clips and things to learn about our outlaw heroes of old, with great interviews and opinions from some of our favorite artists of today. I’m sure the production, the cast, and everything else is top notch. I’m friends with several people in it and they are great, so for them, that’s awesome. But all of this begs one question: During any portion of the making of this, did anyone ask, “Where’s Whitey and Ward? Where’s Sunny [Sweeney], Blackberry Smoke, Wade Bowen, Jason Boland? Where’s Dallas Moore, Cross Canadian Ragweed? Where’s Hank Jr.? (Wait, the establishment hated his Dad until it was profitable to use his name.)
All that to say, I take exception to the Country Music Hall of Fame partnering with someone who developed AI – the single biggest executioner of real art, sans major labels.
Elitists and superpowers shape history by rewriting it for themselves. Artists paint the whole picture. I’d rather be an artist.
Which brings me to my last question: if being outlaw is anti-machine, how is there anything outlaw about this documentary?
For the record, I’m a self proclaimed punk.
Y’all think Hank done it this way?
I’ll see y’all on the road.
Whitey Morgan of Whitey Morgan and the 78’s has been around since 2005, and is considered one of the top artists keeping the Outlaw spirit and sound of country music alive. Ward Davis is a songwriter and performer who wrote “Unfair Weather Friend” for Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, and recently released his latest album Here I Am.
Saving Country Music was at the premier of They Called Us Outlaws at SXSW Sunday evening (3-15), (read review and report) and addressed Cody’s original criticism for who was being called an “Outlaw” with filmmaker Eric Geadelmann.
Geadelmann said that he was simply interviewed by Billboard for the article, and wasn’t calling anyone an “Outlaw,” or inferring they were just because they were interviewed for the film. He also explained that the project isn’t officially finished, and wouldn’t rule out interviewing Jinks or others, though the project is entering its final phase.
As for Eric Geadelmann’s involvement with AI, his IBMA bio starts off, “Former AI tech entrepreneur, turned filmmaker and music producer, Eric Geadelmann, launched his film career in 2003 with “The Dance” – The Billy Roth Story, a critically acclaimed feature documentary that Nicolas Cage executive produced as part of a multi-project partnership that included Universal Pictures.”
Eric Geadelmann’s Wikita page says,
“A former Principal in publicly-traded, international management consultant firm Navigant Consulting who co-developed the firm’s healthcare technology division Axonal Health Solutions and a senior healthcare executive, Geadelmann co-founded a Dallas-based venture capital backed technology company CareSteps with physicians/medical scientists, Jeff Rice, MD, JD and Mark HT Ridinger, MD that pioneered early web-based applications of advanced artificial intelligence neural networks for disease prediction modeling and evidence-based medicine profiling. The company merged with the Nashville based disease management company Healthways and with some of the proceeds, Geadelmann began exploring film.”
It appears that Geadelmann has not been directly involved in the AI business for over 20 years since working on the Billy Roth film, and starting the 821 Entertainment Group in roughly 2004, though this is not been confirmed. We also don’t know if Geadelmann continues to be invested or involved in AI, or why he left the industry as a full-time pursuit for film.
Saving Country Music reached out to representatives for They Called Us Outlaws for comment, and they have decided to not comment any further at this time.
When Saving Country Music first reported the Outlaw film in 2022, the concern was raised then on if artist who more embody the “Outlaw” scene of today would be included.
“Who you do not see from the set of modern artists is a lot of the performers who tend to self-identify more as Outlaws, and who happen to have very large followings, and at times hobnobbed with the original Outlaws themselves. Cody Jinks, Whitey Morgan, Dallas Moore, Hank Williams III, and others are noticeably absent…”
It appears that concern has come to the forefront now that the release of the film is in the offing. But it’s important to understand that the ultimate focus of They Called Us Outlaws is not the present-day performers who might appear, but chronicling the history of the Outlaw country era of the ’70s and beyond.
They Called Us Outlaws is expected to be distributed via a streaming service near the end of 2026, or early 2027.
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March 17, 2026 @ 11:55 am
I just have to say here that I 100% understand and appreciate Cody’s criticisms of this film for not including some of the present-day artists that we all consider “Outlaw” whenever the term is used. I did this myself back in 2022 when all of this was first revealed. I started Saving Country Music because I felt like there were so many artists being systemically undervalued and under-covered.
I also think this documentary film series is a very sum positive of Outlaw country and country music in general, will help preserve the history, and highlight important artists. After seeing the prologue to the film, I feel confident it is a valuable project to country music. It’s so difficult to bring these types of film projects to life, and this one is actually reaching the finish line, and as a 10-part series nonetheless.
It’s a shame this drama is coming up, even if it should have been anticipated. I am still holding out hope that the two sides can come together and figure out how to solve this problem.
March 17, 2026 @ 11:59 am
Notice how outlaw poseur Colby Jink leaves Hank III out.of his list.
March 17, 2026 @ 12:20 pm
The problem with any list every published in the history of ever is that some cynical online troll in the comments can point to one inclusion, or one exclusion and act like the entire list is bunk as opposed to seeing the bigger picture. Cody Jinks is using his popularity and platform to shout out other performers that he believes were overlooked for this film project. His list was slightly different from my list that did include Hank3, but that doesn’t make one list right or wrong.
Cody Jinks is standing up for what he believes. And there’s nothing more “Outlaw” than that.
March 17, 2026 @ 12:31 pm
It would be cool to do a list of Independent artists who started early enough that they collaborated with or at least hung out with some of the pioneers. Dallas Moore was mentioned in this article. Jesse Dayton is another one. Eddie Clandening has interesting stories. Obviously Deke Dickerson and quite a few other people in rockabilly and Western swing circles.
March 17, 2026 @ 2:46 pm
This is why the “outlaw” convo is so dumb. There are no outlaws. These guys are all “pick me’s”. Like Hank 3 is cool, and a rebel and what not but he changed his name to Hank 3. That’s some john cougar shit. That’s opposite of being an outlaw.
March 17, 2026 @ 5:14 pm
: D Mellencamp is more outlaw than anyone on Jinks’ list.
For true outlaw, see Alice Cooper, who stated, You want to be a true rebel (outlaw) be a Christian.
March 17, 2026 @ 12:22 pm
Man, is Cody usually like this on social media? I get the basic point, but the personal attacks are borderline Isbellian.
And not that I expect him to know this, but the term “AI” is even less well defined than the term “Outlaw”. What it sounds like that guy made his money from has nothing whatsoever to do with Suno or any tech like that.
March 17, 2026 @ 12:37 pm
I think part of the issue is the filmmakers feel like they have to appeal to a younger audience so they bring in names like Jason Aldean and others to try and widen the reach.
We have already seen this kind of thing before. Look at George Strait live from AT&T Stadium. Instead of just getting a straight up George Strait show we had all these extra artists brought in. I do not have a problem with any of them but if I am there for George Strait I just want George Strait.
And while I am on that. I still do not understand why no one in his camp has released the Gruene Hall show. That is something fans have actually been asking for.
Same thing applies here. When you try too hard to broaden the appeal it starts to take away from what people showed up for in the first place.
Honestly I am not even sure I would watch this. It feels like the outlaw label is being filtered through a modern industry lens instead of coming from people who actually lived it or are carrying it today.
Maybe it will surprise me but right now it just feels like it is trying too hard to reach an audience that was not really asking for it.
March 17, 2026 @ 3:35 pm
Aldean is middle aged though, right? He’s an elder millenneal or younger GenX. Definitely no really good reason to include him.
March 17, 2026 @ 6:26 pm
Aldean is 49. Hair plugs and a wife with a plastic surgeon on speed dial can’t hide the date on the birth certificate.
And I agree – if the idea was Aldean would “bring in the younger crowd”, well….how much younger? Aldean’s fanbase are folks in their 30’s through 50’s. If the idea was to try and appeal to the “Tick Tock” generation, you really need Morgan Wallen or someone of that ilk to pull that off.
March 17, 2026 @ 12:59 pm
Jinks thinks every dude with a high maintenance beard is an outlaw.
March 17, 2026 @ 1:28 pm
Jinks is a hipster, like Scooter Jennings.
March 17, 2026 @ 3:10 pm
Proving you know nothing about Jinks, or hipsters.
March 17, 2026 @ 4:10 pm
Austin, and SXSW in particular, is hipster central.
Anyone who is unironically proprietary over the buzz word “outlaw” is a hipster.
March 17, 2026 @ 8:55 pm
“Austin, and SXSW in particular, is hipster central.”
Right. And the film that premiered in Austin at SXSXW about the Outlaw scene in Austin did NOT include Cody Jinks. It included Charley Crockett. It included Margo Price. It included S.G. Goodman. But it didn’t include Cody Jinks. From my recollection, Cody Jinks has never played SXSW.
March 18, 2026 @ 10:08 am
You are a hipster.
The Outlaw documentary is hipster
The term “Outlaw” is now hipster
Cody Jinks is a hipster
He will be playing Germania insurance amphitheater in Austin this September with hipster metal band Five Finger Death Punch.
March 17, 2026 @ 1:49 pm
If anyone asked me to name the three top Outlaws of the modern era, I would say Cody Jinks, Whitey Morgan, and Ward Davis. I’d also try to squeeze Dallas Moore in there too. These are the Outlaws of our era.
March 17, 2026 @ 2:24 pm
I’m not that familiar with any of them. I’ve tried Jinks and Whitey but it didn’t take. What makes them outlaw? Jinks seems like he’s trying awfully hard.
March 17, 2026 @ 3:13 pm
Jinks is a multi-Platinum selling artists that has no label affiliation whatsoever and manages his entire operation in-house. Whitey is an Outlaw because he is probably the epicenter of keeping the original Outlaw sound alive. Honestly, trying to explain all of this stuff feels redundant. Whether you like their music or not is irrelevant. Just because you didn’t connect with their music doesn’t mean they’re not Outlaws.
March 17, 2026 @ 3:17 pm
I’m not saying they aren’t outlaws because I didn’t connect with their music. I am saying I don’t know much about them because I didn’t connect connect with their music. I’ve been listening though, Whitey sounds like a Waylon tribute band to me. That’s pretty cool about Jinks though. The Dallas Moore song “Outlaw Country” was pretty on the nose, like when he called Nashville “trashville”.
March 17, 2026 @ 1:54 pm
Maybe that’s why he left Hank lll out .
March 17, 2026 @ 5:00 pm
My guess would be the reason he left Hank3 is lack of familarity. He grew up listening to his Dad and Hank3 stopped touring when Cody was just getting started so their paths never crossed in touring circles.
March 17, 2026 @ 5:14 pm
Cody said, “For the record, I’m a self proclaimed punk.”
Punk = hipster
March 17, 2026 @ 5:31 pm
No. It is because Jinks is like a weak version of Hank III, who also played metal and punk rather than country in his formative years.
The difference is Hank III integrated that music at his shows and on his records. Jinks genre-hopped, developed his twang, grew a beard, put on a hat and rehashed the Outlaw term, and now won’t shut up about working a fork lift and bar-tending.
March 17, 2026 @ 1:43 pm
The original outlaw in the music business was Frank Sinatra.
The first guy who – in the mid-50’s – got so big that he could record whatever he wanted, whenever and however he wanted it done.
In country music it was Bobby Bare, at least among the “big” stars.
March 17, 2026 @ 2:17 pm
Maybe you can get three posts out of this
March 17, 2026 @ 3:09 pm
Maybe I can. Would seem pretty wild if I covered this Outlaw film, have covered Cody, Whitey, and Ward their entire careers, and then ignored when Cody goes scorched earth they don’t make the film.
I guess I could have been like Whiskey Riff and covered Kelsea Ballerini ex-boyfriend drama today instead.
March 17, 2026 @ 5:22 pm
I’m like where’s Paycheck and Coe?
March 17, 2026 @ 8:56 pm
There is no reason to believe this film won’t cover Johnny Paycheck and David Allan Coe. It’s a 10-part series.
March 17, 2026 @ 5:24 pm
“Where’s Whitey and Ward? Where’s Sunny [Sweeney], Blackberry Smoke, Wade Bowen, Jason Boland? Where’s Dallas Moore, Cross Canadian Ragweed? Where’s Hank Jr.? (Wait, the establishment hated his Dad until it was profitable to use his name.)
None of these people are outlaws. The original outlaws were ground breaking artists, they weren’t playing roles and trying to act like their heroes acted, they were the real deal. What Cody really wants to say is, “Where am I?”
I saw Cody in Nashville years ago when he got up on stage with the Time Jumpers (Vince Gill was still a member), no goofy beard, no fake outlaw persona, and he blew everyone, including me, away with his voice. Then a couple years later he had crafted this whole fake outlaw imagine. It’s comical.
If you have to act like an outlaw, or call yourself an outlaw, you’re not an outlaw.
March 17, 2026 @ 6:37 pm
This is a little bit narrow of a view. You wrote “the original outlaws were ground breaking artists”. Which is true. But Rageweed and Boland inspired an entire generation of artists in Oklahoma and Texas. Hank Jr. probably is a bigger right up there with Willie, Waylon, and Merle in terms of artists that inspired the artists from the late 90’s/early to mid 2000’s male artists.
Are they “outlaws” in the same way Willie and Waylon were? No, but to completely discredit their impact seems wrong as well. I don’t think it is a stretch to say without Rageweed, Boland, and even Rogers and Bowen helping pave the way, we may not have had Turnpike make the same impact they have.
March 17, 2026 @ 10:36 pm
Hank Jr. is the godfather of Bro Country.
As good as he once was, his legacy isn’t.
March 19, 2026 @ 2:53 pm
I don’t see how it is Hank Jr.’s fault that Bro-Country exists.
March 18, 2026 @ 2:10 am
Without The Stragglers taking them under their wing in the beginning (back when JB&S was mostly original members) it’s highly questionable if Turnpike ever leaves Tahlequah. Bolands influence is huge. Roger Ray, Brad Rice, Grant Tracy and Noah Jeffries all played significant parts in Turnpikes early days. The Stragglers circa Comal County Blue and Rancho Alto should’ve been the biggest thing going.
March 17, 2026 @ 7:01 pm
Well Jimmy,
A fair amount of us out here like a lot of sonic variety in our playlists. Jinks and Morgan scratch an itch for me. I support em. Outlaw? Ehhh…its just a descriptor these days to me. I do enjoy live music and love hearing folks playing in the style of my music heroes, so I’ll support it. You do you, bud. And yeah I’ve seen Time Jumpers with Gill live in person as well.
March 18, 2026 @ 4:33 pm
Well Kevin, I wasn’t talking about their music, I was talking about the fake outlaw personas they’ve crafted. I was working in the music business and discovering bands back when you were still in diapers, so spare me your ‘sonic variety’ bullshit. I support all kinds of music, I just think all of the “I’m an outlaw but that guy isn’t” talk among these clowns is comical. None of these guys are outlaws. You do you bud, and I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing for decades.
March 17, 2026 @ 6:31 pm
Man, having your professional bio lead off with “Former AI Tech Entrepreneur” is a damn good way to get me to stop paying attention to whatever you are peddling today. Sorry, but that industry is nothing but grifters and con artists. Hard to take anyone with those ties all that seriously even if they have good intentions – especially when they loudly pronounce it in their own bio.
March 17, 2026 @ 9:03 pm
From what I can tell, the filmmaker ceased working in the AI industry over 20 years ago to start working in film. What people thought of AI in 2003 is WAY WAY different from how people regard it today. He also LEFT the AI industry, and two decades ago. So I think that at the least we need more context around what exactly his involvement was in AI beyond researching it in the medical field before we crucify the dude for it. Perhaps he’s still significantly involved in AI somehow. I don’t know. But let’s stop acting like he’s Sam Altman.
Also, I don’t think people write their own bios on IBMA, and they definitely don’t on Wikita.
March 17, 2026 @ 10:52 pm
What an embarrassing comments section. Cody Jinks sucks. Whitey and Ward suck. Hank Jr. sucks. They’re all hipsters. All the Outlaws suck. Anyone who wants to be called an Outlaw, or anyone that calls anyone else an Outlaw sucks. John Mellencamp is more Outlaw than any of them.
Why are y’all even reading a website like Saving Country Music then? This entire website was very directly inspired by the ’70s Outlaw movement. I started this site because I first started to write a book on Outlaw country. Cody Jinks, Whitey Morgan, these are core, essential artists to this cause.
This is just like a Facebook comments section with folks trying to out posture everyone else.
“I’m more Outlaw than everybody because I’m gonna call the most Outlaw of Outlaw artists a loser!”
March 18, 2026 @ 12:21 am
The term “outlaw” was just a marketing term back then, accidentially clever, but still; pure commercialism to attract the counter-culture movement at the time.
It’s not any different now.
March 18, 2026 @ 6:43 am
Yeah, we all know this. It’s been established for 50 fucking years. You’re not saying anything that hasn’t been said thousands of times before to the point where it’s not trite. The Outlaw documentary in question starts off with a bunch of the “Outlaws” slagging the term. But it’s the term we use to distinguish a certain type of artist, sound, and approach in country music. Get over it. If you’re repulsed by anything that would ever be called “Outlaw,” I’m not sure why you would ever be on a website called “SavingCountryMusic.com.”
There’s a massive, 10-part documentary series coming out about Outlaw country. Cody Jinks is a major, multi-Platinum star. Your protestations over a stupid term in a comments section is not going to gatekeep any of this.
March 18, 2026 @ 6:54 am
I could be mistaken about this, but the term “Outlaw” seems to get thrown out there a lot by fans and practitioners of today who miss what the actual Outlaw movement as personified by Waylon and Willie and their contemporaries beginning in the early 1970’s was about. It seems to me that these folks were Outlaws simply because they were Individualists, meaning that they were artists who had their own ways of doing things, and that was that, the Establishment (i.e. Nashville) be damned. Their sound was far less polished and had a lot more in the way of musical grit than what Nashville was comfortable with, but they attracted younger audiences to country music who otherwise, with the exception of Johnny Cash (who arguably was an Outlaw himself), might not otherwise have been attracted to the genre
That’s as good an in-the-ballpark definition of what the term “Outlaw” is that I can come up.
March 18, 2026 @ 8:49 am
Well, not to jump on the it sucks bandwagon, but comments sections really do suck. There’s always some jerk who just wants to be a jerk. This one is usually better than most, but this is another reason for wanting to be able to have a downvote/hide feature. Sorry for beating a dead horse.
March 18, 2026 @ 4:36 pm
“I’m more Outlaw than everybody because I’m gonna call the most Outlaw of Outlaw artists a loser!”
This is exactly what Jinks and these other fake outlaws do. 😂
It’s only embarrassing because people don’t agree with you. It’s okay, bro, we still think you’re awesome.
March 19, 2026 @ 3:03 pm
Some of us view country music as more than a short phrase of popular music made in the 1970s.
March 19, 2026 @ 3:21 pm
Are you saying I don’t? I think most people do. But the Outlaw era was super important in establishing who should be in charge of the music. And it’s not the suits.
March 18, 2026 @ 6:44 am
In, before Marvin Heemeyer and his booming killer tracks were hipster, not outlaw at all…
Seems to me uncharacteristic of Cody to be a spazz online imma guess he’s just a huge fan of Ward (duh)
and while it’s as childish as the dudes daughter saying that she won’t watch it if Tyler isn’t in it, also hanging it all out there for your friends is usually pretty admirable.
I’ve no idea about how ppl can be so irate about a thing no one’s seen, that might not be finished, and maybe never even goes widely distributed. Odd.
March 18, 2026 @ 7:50 am
Yeah this batch of commentors are a bunch of negative Nancy’s. Like it or not the term Outlaw these days is a descriptor used by fans and artists to describe the styling and sonic characteristics of a throwback sound that still resonates with a lot of us. In a certain way the term has morphed a bit from the days when Chet Flippo was writing about it. We all get that ” it was a marketing term” and it represented artistic freedom. Got it. I grew up listening to it.
Personally I dont see what the big deal is. Waylon hated the term. Ok..whatever. He didn’t hate the money that came with it.
If yall hate the style of this music, dont listen. Its really that simple. But continuing to prattle endlessly about ” the original meaning of Outlaw” is getting tiresome. Its like you guys think you’ve stumbled upon some Masonic secret knowledge hidden from mankind ,with your comments. Your implying somehow Cody Jinks literally doesn’t know the origins of Outlaw Country. Really? You really think he’s that clueless. A few minutes of internet reading will inform anyone on the essentials of the 70s movement. Jinks and Morgan love the style and have forged careers on it. Loads of us support it. SCM is pro- Outlaw Country. Deal with it. Also, the comments section could use some new blood , we need positivity here, everything is sarcasm and trolling. Sheesh….
March 18, 2026 @ 4:37 pm
“Anyone who disagrees with my opinion is a whiner.” 🤡
March 18, 2026 @ 9:49 am
I’m now an outlaw
You’re now an outlaw as well
The war rages on
March 18, 2026 @ 10:24 am
To quote Waylon and the trainwreck this comment section has become: “Don’t you think this outlaw bit’s done got out of hand? What started out to be a joke, the law don’t understand Was it singing through my nose that got me busted by the man? Maybe this here outlaw bit’s done got out of hand…”
March 18, 2026 @ 11:02 am
I would watch a documentary about Cody, Whitey, & Ward and what they go through over the course of a year (and those they cross paths with). It’s interesting that executive producers Jessi Colter, Jack Ingram, & Ray Benson ‘were involved creatively and in production’ and yet they didn’t think to add Cody, Whitey & Ward – especially Benson who hosts The Texas Music Scene show. Honestly, I think nowadays the most outlaw thing would be – to be (currently) a big part of this genre and be left off this documentary like they were. Great PR opportunity and really drives the point home how messed up the music industry was in the actual (70’s) outlaw days, and continues to be (today). 4D chess on this documentary roll out would be to purposely leave off some notable artists to cause a buzz around the project and then say ‘well it’s not finished yet so more could be added’ – like they did. (And then have Jinks & Co. make an appearance on Bobby Bones Netflix show, etc.) It doesn’t appear that is what happened though. And LOL – of course Margo Price was included. Was (the 53rd edition of) The Band Perry included too? Maren Morris? So the irony here is that Cody, Ward, and Whitey weren’t Nashville-connected enough to make it into the documentary about outlaws even though they are modern day outlaws…got it. The music industry continues to make absolutely no sense whatsoever. Also, wouldn’t Aaron Watson be considered outlaw for having done what he has accomplished over the years completely on his own – and the Texas aspect?
March 18, 2026 @ 11:12 am
Cody is not wrong but every list or article or documentary or book is going to make no mention of names who some think should be included. I find some of the names described as outlaws surprising and I agree with Cody’s comments. Perhaps the importance of the article/documentary is that many names get a mention and that is better than nothing.
March 18, 2026 @ 11:45 am
What I love about Jinks is that he is every bit as well thought out and succinct in his fairly rare public statements as he is in his songwriting. There is no fluff or wasted words. He also isn’t the guy to comment on every social moment or feel like we need to be blessed with his 2 cents on every issue that comes out.
But when he DOES have something to say he delivers to the fullest.
Agree with what he said or not you have to respect the man for how he has conducted himself and his career. Again- he really isn’t saying that he should be included here. He is pointing out injustice that he sees. Trigger has pointed out him wearing a t-shirt of an artist that he feels should get more respect. The reasoning for his Lefty project. His participation in the Vern Gosdin tribute album. This seems in the vein of that.
I really don’t mean to rant but good grief. These comments. Can’t we appreciate a good man taking a stand and using his platform to stand up for something he holds near and dear to his heart? That seems pretty outlaw to me.
March 18, 2026 @ 3:06 pm
I am just glad he gave a shout out to Sunny Sweeney.
That said, as usual, I will be eyeing this to see how much female representation there is; Jessi Colter and Tanya Tucker at least but also Emmylou and a few others who may not have been ornery and mean but we’re definitely outlaws.
March 19, 2026 @ 3:01 pm
Outside of the marketing definition of the term, which really carried the moniker into mainstream awareness and launched its legendary status, Outlaw means recording the music you wanted to make, despite interference from studios. By that stance, loads of artists fall under its banner.
Josh Turner refused to bow down to Bro-Country and it cost him his mainstream career. If you suggested he is Outlaw, folks would lose their minds. That family-friendly singer as Outlaw? Same thing with Mo Pitney. No way, Outlaw is booze, rock-infused country, large beards, and edgy.
Look at Jason Aldean. I don’t care much for his music but “She’s Country” – the major hit that launched his stardom – stood out when released in 2008. It sounded like nothing else on the radio, which at the time, was soft Adult-Contemporary and MOR housewife music. I bet Aldean fought some executives on releasing that tune. Does that make him an Outlaw? Arguably, by definition, it does.
Let’s face it, modern Outlaws boils down to if someone likes that singer or not.
And for my money, the 1970s Outlaws are the most overrated era in country music. It is not the Alpha or Omega of country music.
March 19, 2026 @ 6:04 pm
I am an OUTLAW! I rob banks and commit other violations of The Law! I am Jesse James! Dillinger! Butch Cassidy! No..actually, I sing folk songs…outside of the Nashville Mainstream….so, please forget that OUTLAW! thing. It’s pretentious and absurd.