Today’s Long Song Tuesday offering was inspired by the positive response that I received to my Lynyrd Skynrd post a couple of weeks ago. The Outlaws were contemporaries of Lynyrd Skynrd and played a similar brand of guitar driven southern rock. Green Grass and High Tides was from their self titled first album and I think you will really enjoy it. Crank up your volume and give it a listen….
For you guitar buff out there here is some interesting detail on the Outlaws guitar sound from Wikipedia:
Hughie Thomasson’s signature guitar playing style and voice were defining characteristics of the band’s sound. Thomasson’s guitar sound was underpinned by the use of the Fender Stratocaster (and sometimes a Fender Telecaster) played in a quasi-country style mixed with fluid, quick blues runs. Hughie was nicknamed “The Flame” for his flaming fast guitar work. He is a member of the Fender Hall of Fame. The other lead guitarist, Billy Jones, played mainly a Gibson Les Paul and switched between a clean and distorted sound. A good example of this can be heard on “Green Grass and High Tides” on the right stereo channel. Hughie Thomasson’s smooth Stratocaster sound can be heard on the left channel. Thomasson opens the first solo at the intro and plays the first half of the two succeeding longer solos all on the right channel.
Because I am somewhat time constrained today so I am going to defer providing more details about the Outlaws until tomorrow’s post but before we go here is a live performance from July 23, 1975 when the band was in it’s prime. I only got to see them once in the 70s but they were something to behold.
More tomorrow…talk to you then.
By the way, let me know if you like the Outlaws as much as I do.
thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard 