The outlaw genre of music is a type of country music that evolved from a movement in the 1970s to escape the formulaic constraints of the Nashville Sound, which dominated country music in the 1960s. Sometimes called progressive country, it mixed folk’s introspective lyrics, rock’s rhythms, and country’s instrumentation. The outlaw movement reinvigorated country music, creating a fertile era of nonconformist singers, musicians, and songwriters with distinctive styles, and it influenced future generations of country artists.
The outlaw movement was spearheaded by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. Other musicians associated with the outlaw genre are Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, David Allan Coe, Johnny Paycheck, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, and Emmylou Harris.