Billy Jones - vocals, guitar; Henry Paul - vocals, guitar; Harvey Arnold - bass; Hugh Thompson - vocals, guitar; Monte Yoho - drums
The Outlaws provide a spirited performance for this concert originally recorded for the King Biscuit Flower Hour. The band had just released its third LP, Hurray Sundown, produced by Bill Szymczyk (producer of the Eagles and Joe Walsh). "South Carolina," "Cold And Lonesome," "Hurry Sundown," "Gun Smoke," and "Song On The Breeze" are among the musical highlights of this memorable southern rock show, and the band closes with a blistering, 23-minute version of "Green Grass And High Tides," which, although exciting, is a little bit overkill.
The group has remained together since 1972, despite the departure of Henry Paul and the deaths of three founding members. Formed in 1972, the Outlaws were signed to Clive Davis' new label, Arista Records, at the height of the southern rock movement. When their blend of driving guitars, cowboy twang, and Eagles-esque harmonies came together, the public bought in. The group had a Top 40 hit right out of the box with "There Goes Another Loves Song," from their 1975 self-titled debut album. From that record also came an FM radio classic hit. The lengthy guitar-opus "Green Grass And High Tides," was, and remains today, the band's signature song. With its beginning slow tempo, followed by a frantic, fast moving ending (climaxing with pulsating triple lead guitar solos), "High Tides And Green Grass" echoes Skynyrd's "Free Bird" in many ways, yet is uniquely an Outlaws trademark with its thrilling vocal harmonies.
These two songs quickly become the band's standard closers and this show, although early in its career, got the same response back then that it does now. Henry Paul left after this tour in 1977 only to return again in the late-1980s when the band had a reunion. He departed again and formed Blackhawk, which has spent several weeks at the top of the country music charts. The music here encompasses a certain animal compulsion, especially when the band locks into their long instrumental breaks. The Outlaws remained so true to their southern rock roots that they rarely moved in other directions. When southern rock veered out of the mainstream in the mid-'80s, many artists made the natural transition to country. The Outlaws, however, remained an American rock 'n' roll band.
Sadly, founding members Jones and O'Keefe died in 1985 (three weeks apart from each other), and Hughie Thomasson died in his home in mid-September, 2007.