Michelle Kaplan

Outlaws: Music That Must Be Illegal

Known for music that is all at once beautiful and brutal, the Outlaws have carved out their musical niche by combining exquisite rich harmonies along with killer axe work that has to be illegal in at least three states.

The Outlaws whose discography has been a mainstay in the classic rock radio repertoire is about to come full circle with their new CD release due out this August aptly entitled, Full Circle.

Fans of the band who honed their skills in local Tampa bars in the 1960’s and 70’s would remember their fist single, There Goes Another Love Song off their debut album, Outlaws, released in 1975. This album hit gold status and topped off the Billboard Album Chart at number 13.
Other memorable songs from this album were: Song for You, Stay with Me and Green Grass and High Tides. Breaker-Breaker, another hit from the album Lady in Waiting, their second release in 1976. Stick Around for Rock & Roll, Prisoner, Hurry Sunset, Ghost Riders In The Sky and Freeborn Man are also fan favorites and may be included in their current tour.

Despite a mix of rock, country, and blues, the band has been bestowed with the label, “Southern Rock,” possibly because its original members hail from the Deep South. Even original member Hughie Thomasson has a hard time pinning their genre down.

“It’s hard to define,” he agreed.

Even if Thomasson could find the right words, another challenge that he said
the band faces is having a number of multi-talented artists.

This is a challenge?

As Thomasson explains, providing each member with enough room to stretch creatively as well as share the spotlight is something with which the Outlaws have always had to contend.

“With three lead guitarists, a bass player and everyone singing, it’s quite the musical entertainment…sometimes you just have to lay back and let the brothers play…and it seems to work - plus we have the additional anguish of two drummers.”

Central to the band has always been their legion of talented guitarists, who
came to be known as the “Florida Guitar Army.”

The Outlaws have, over the years, evolved and with band members dropping in and dropping out; they have maintained a kind of revolving door policy. For many bands, drastic changes in their members may have delivered a devastating blow to their rock solid band status —— not these guys. The Outlaws, always free flowing, see this as giving them and their music the kind of freshness and flexibility other bands never had the luxury of. It’s almost part of the Outlaw creed, living a little on the fringes of what the idea of a rock band is. This flexibility has lead to some of the most memorable, relaxed and extensive jams that, like the Outlaws, just effortlessly flow.

Today’s Outlaws are that mix of old and new including, Hughie Thomasson, David Dix, Monte Yoho, Chris Anderson and Randy Threet. The two original drummers, Dix and
Yoho, have rejoined them for this tour. Old fans may also remember original members Billy Jones and Frank O’Keefe, who both passed away in 1995 strangely just weeks apart.

Like a lot of those 70’s bands, the Outlaws may have been sewn into the memories of many who had the pleasure of seeing them live back in the day if it wasn’t for a “Hey, let’s get the band back together” moment. The band reunited last year for a 30th anniversary tour, which seems to have been extended now to 31.

“We were having dinner at Charlie’s place…it was like, why not… lets go
play for the folks again.”

For Thomasson getting back on stage as an Outlaw after a nine-year stint in another infamous Southern Rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, was like riding
a bike.

“It was just like old times… just like we never left… it was a good thing…for
us, it’s even better.”

If anyone really seems to be taking the stage for himself, it wouldn’t be
Thomasson. The first sentence out of his mouth is all about the Outlaw fans.

“Our fans… I love them. Without them we couldn’t do this….”

Describing their fans in diverse terms, he conjures up an image, a combination
of all American, freedom lovingwith a pinch of rebellion thrown in for good measure.

“They’re three generations of fans…from grandma to grandpa; to kids…it’s always an honor and a privilege to play for all of them.”

Thomasson said what separates Outlaw fans from the others is that Outlaw identity that they seem to relate to.

“I don’t know, they’re out of their minds… but I love them…There’s a little
bit of outlaw in everyone…everyone wants to think they have a little bit of outlaw in them, so it’s a good thing.”

Be that as it may, Thomasson also said the fans today are a little more discerning.

“People want a lot more nowadays…high quality sound, super lyrics that
mean something to everyone.”
So the Outlaws try and give the people what they want but, in their own way.

“Some of the looseness of the jam and creativity comes from being free…it’s a
double edge sword…we harmonize, we play tight and we get down.”

As far as the music Thomasson likes to listen to himself, it’s not too far off the mark from where he comes from.

“Lately, not a whole lot …I try not to be influenced by other people…I like classical
to bluegrass and everything in between… Metallica, Creed, Jimi Hendrix, Beatles, Allman Brothers.”

One might even think he’s down right old fashion, as he admits to not joining
the Ipod generation - yet.

When he is home, he spends time with family including his granddaughter Lori, who just turned 5 in April. He brags about her catching her first fish.

This day Thomasson is off to fish himself. After long stretches on the road, a little fishing may be just the cathartic experience he needs. Drowning worms with a plain old cane pole, not the kind of gear that will win you a spot on the fishing channel. He fishes for sunfish to bluegill to bass, eel, and mudfish.

If it sounds like the simple life, it may be as Thomasson muses some parting
words of advice.

“Enjoy life, it’s too short…enjoy your family and cherish them…and rock and roll.”

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