outlaw country

Meaning

Noun

• A subgenre of country music that became popular during the 1970s, fusing older styles (such as honky-tonk) with newer styles including rock and blues. Artists involved wrote their own material, demanded creative control of their music and adopted an "outlaw" image.

Origin

• Often said to be derived from the Waylon Jennings song "Ladies Love Outlaws." The outlaw country genre was created as a response to the then-prevalent Nashville sound and growing popularity of country pop.