Bloggerhythms

The original Outlaws were only together for two albums: their spectacular, eponymous inaugural LP (#13) and  Lady in Waiting, their commercially less successful follow up (#36). The quintet featured three rock guitarists:  Hughie Thomasson, Billy Jones, and Henry Paul. Bassist Frank O'Keefe and drummer Monte Yoho rounded out the unit. This early lineup didn't have a keyboard player. Some reports indicate O'Keefe was fired after this LP. Others say he left because he broke his neck after falling into an empty swimming pool. He eventually became dependent on pain killers for the rest of his life that ended in 1995 after an unfortunate overdose. Lady  in Waiting is very similar to Outlaws' ten song debut. The three axmen could blow the doors down with sheer volume - as they did with "Green Grass and High Tides" from the earlier set - but their beautiful, three-part harmonies reminiscent...

When The Outlaws debut LP was released in 1975 it instantly became one of my all-time favorite rock albums. Thirty-four years later I still love it to death. In many ways this is a typical Southern rock album. The Outlaws employed the sub-genre's usual country influences and multiple lead guitarists but instead of the dual lead setup used by many Southerners they assaulted your speakers with a loud electric trio. Fronting the quintet were Hughie Thomasson, Billy Jones, and Henry Paul. They were supported by the rhythm section of Frank O'Keefe on bass and Monte Yoho on drums. Keyboards were nowhere to be found. What made these Floridians, and especially this album, so outstanding? The boys from Tampa could rock with wild, reckless abandon and be tasteful at the same time. The trio were among the most melodic of Dixie's electric axmen. Add sterling three-part vocal harmonies to the mix that were worthy of Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and the clean production of Paul A. R...