OUTLAW COUNTRY

OUTLAW COUNTRY (c. 1975–1985) The outlaws—led by WILLIE NELSON and WAYLON JENNINGS —were frustrated by the NASHVILLE SOUND and COUNTRYPOLITAN transformations of country music into a light pop, mainstream style. Influenced by traditional country sounds, particularly WESTERN SWING and Texas HONKY-TONK, as well as the breakthroughs of SINGER/SONGWRITERS like BOB DYLAN who proved that pop songs could have a message, the outlaws made a highly personal music that helped revive interest in true…