There are many moments I dive right into the Southern Rock genre. My wide array of favorite bands crosses over many Rock genres and I am all the better for it. (Metal will always be #1 for me, that will never change). The blue collar, American made and guitar enriched sound of Southern Rock, both past and present, just sticks to me like molasses. I honestly can’t go very long, without nurturing the country boy side of me, with this ever important branch of American Rock and Roll. Aw heck, Southern Rock serves my city boy side just as well too. The Outlaws have been my recent listening choice to cure my Southern Rock fix. A classic of a band indeed are The Outlaws. Great songs and down to earth lyrics has this band written. The Outlaws may not be as heavy as Molly Hatchet or as popular as Lynyrd Skynyrd, still they managed to differentiate themselves amongst their peers by staying true to their own style. The Outlaws have their respectful place in Southern Rock history… Rock history too, for that matter.
The Outlaws, through their own songs, have never pretended to be anything but Southern Rock. I have always admired any band that never compromises their own genuine sound, The Outlaws are one of these bands. Does all this sound like I am overextending praise towards The Outlaws? In my opinion, no. Sure, all of the accolades you read here are from my personal standpoint, yet I would gamble to guess I am not alone in my viewpoint. I really enjoy the Southern Rock that The Outlaws have created, this goes all the way back to my teen years of the 1980’s. Green Grass & High Tides, (from the 1975 debut album Outlaws), the almost ten minute Southern Rock epic, just sends me into a care free mood where things seem to feel alright. This is a song that encompasses the true energy, passion and sound of mid 1970’s Southern Rock. I have always liked this song so much, it is like listening to a three minute song for me.
All of the most memorable and legendary songs from The Outlaws are from 1975 to 1980. Counting the Ghost Riders album from 1980, The Outlaws released three studio albums during the 1980’s, while releasing Diablo Canyon in 1994. The main constant and founding member of The Outlaws, Hughie Thomasson on lead vocals and guitar, is a musician I have and always will appreciate tremendously. He penned Green Grass & High Tides, while co-writing There Goes Another Love Song, two of perhaps the most recognizable Southern Rock songs of the 1970’s, both from such an important debut album. Hurry Sundown, (from the 1977 album Hurry Sundown) and (Ghost) Riders In The Sky, (from the 1980 album Ghost Riders) are two more unreal favorites of mine from The Outlaws.
I bought The Outlaws Super Hits recently, a greatest hits that spans their albums 1975 thru 1980. To have ten solid songs from The Outlaws, on one disc, is a recipe for Classic Southern Rock to the highest degree. This CD set me back just 5 dollars… fifty cents a song. Not to sound cliche here… that is priceless, especially when these songs from The Outlaws make me feel so darn good.
Blackfoot has always been one of my favorite Southern Rock Bands, their songs and sound flat out Rock for me. The history of Blackfoot includes a long list of musicians, this is one band that has seen it’s share of lineup changes over the years. My favorite years of Blackfoot Southern Rock were definitely 1979 through 1981. The Blackfoot albums released during those years were “Strikes”, “Tomcattin'” and “Marauder”. The CD “Blackfoot Greatest Hits”, (pictured here), contains ten songs representing these three albums, which was at Walmart a couple of years ago… for five bucks I bought it without question. Admittedly, I do not own any other Blackfoot albums, so picking up a Greatest Hits of Blackfoot was essential sooner or later. I really get into this Blackfoot CD during the Spring through Autumn months… probably due to the fact I always equate Southern Rock to warmer weather. Go figure. The first track on this CD is “Highway Song”, my favorite Blackfoot tune ever. This CD I played in my car recently, the timing of listening to “Highway Song”, on this particular small road trip, could not have been any better, here is how it all unfolded…
Back in 1980, I was enthralled by 38 Special. That year, I went to the Caldor Department Store and bought the 45 rpm of the hit single – “Rockin’ Into The Night”. I was in eighth grade with not too much cash in my pocket, still I always held onto enough dough to buy my 45’s. My parents were on an extremely fixed budget, therefore, I could not coax too many higher priced albums from them back then. That was fine, I was always grateful for what my parents could afford to give me. Besides, I more often than not, earned my records from doing yard work and cleaning up the house. That 38 Special 45 rpm was played by me continuously. “Rockin’ Into The Night” was my song back in 1980, no one else’s, (or so I thought). The truth of the day is, I did not buy the actual album “Rockin’ Into The Night” until decades later. Man, what was I thinking? The 45 rpm I had from 1980 had been worn down from repeated play, eventually tossed away. Yet, as I write this post, this Classic Southern Hard Rock album, (really it is a CD now), is a permanent fixture in my music collection. 
For some reason or another, tonight I had the image of Toy Caldwell in my mind, playing guitar and singing his heart out with “Heard It In A Love Song”
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