The Outlaws are a Southern rock band formed in Tampa, Florida in 1972 by vocalists/guitarists Hughie Thomasson and Henry Paul, bassist Frank O'Keefe, and drummer Monte Yoho. The band were the first act signed to Arista Records under Clive Davis. Davis was in the audience at a show in 1974 where the band was opening for Lynyrd Skynyrd in Columbia, Georgia. At the end of Lynyrd Skynyrd's set, singer Ronnie Van Zant said from the stage: If you don’t sign the Outlaws, you’re the dumbest music person I’ve ever met and I know you’re not.
The Outlaws most well known chart songs were "There Goes Another Love Song" and "Green Grass and High Tides", both from their 1975 self-titled debut album.
Clive Davis
Signs The Outlaws
Hughie Thomasson, passes away on September 9, 2007.
Hughie Thomasson was the central figure in the country-rock band the Outlaws, whose hits included Hurry Sundown, There Goes Another Love Song and Green Grass and High Tides. He led the group for more than a quarter of a century before the Outlaws disbanded in the 1990s when he joined Lynyrd Skynyrd. He reformed the Outlaws two years ago and resumed touring and recording with the band.
Born Hugh Edward Thomasson in Tampa, Florida, in August 1952, he began playing guitar in the early 1960s with local groups the Rogues and the Four Letter Words.
Although inspired initially by the British invasion led by the Beatles, with the Outlaws Thomasson set about developing a distinctively American sound influenced by the Byrds and Neil Young, and incorporating styles such as country and blues.
Nicknamed "Flame" by friends and fans, he remained the dominant force over the dozen albums the group went on to record. Three of those albums The Outlaws (1975), Bring It Back Alive (1977) and Ghost Riders in the Sky (1980) went gold and the Thomasson-written singles There Goes Another Love Song, Hurry Sundown and Green Grass and High Tides all made the Billboard Top 20 during the 1970s, the time of their greatest commercial success.
The "Flame" Fades Away
Southern
Fried
Rock
The Outlaws are coming to a venue near you.
~GET READY~
