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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 5 June 2018
Exhibit explores country music's outlaws, poets and pickers

By KRISTIN M. HALL would come to define the
Associated Press outlaw image. He also
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) started picking his own
— If the term "outlaw musicians to play on the
country" evokes images records, instead of relying
of Willie Nelson's hippie on Nashville's session
braids or Waylon Jennings' players. Nelson's records
"Honky Tonk Heroes," then with Atlantic in the early
you'll want to see a new 1970s were also turning
museum exhibit offering a the tide, especially his own
deeper look at the poets, concept album, "The Red
pickers and characters Headed Stranger."
that revolutionized country Crowell, the Grammy-
music in the 1970s. winning singer songwriter
In the more than four who is also included in the
decades since Nelson left exhibit, spent his early days
Nashville in 1970, the term in Nashville being mentored
"outlaw" has become a by songwriting giants such
profitable way of branding as Townes Van Zandt and
the scene that stretched Clark and his wife Susanna.
from recording studios in In this May 25, 2018 photo, a visitor to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, He didn't realize the impact
Music City to hippies and Tenn., views the the Outlaws & Armadillos exhibit. those writers had on
rednecks in Austin, Texas. Associated Press changing country music
But for the artists that until he went to Nelson's
experienced it firsthand, Walker, Billy Joe Shaver "It was hippie girls and pot that all made sense, rather Fourth of July picnic in
the movement was less and more. and endless places to play than just an album full of 1974. An estimated 25,000
about breaking laws and The exhibit's walls are lined music live," Crowell said. rejects that didn't make it people had gathered at
more about pushing back with dozens of concert "It was freedom from the as a single," Bare said. the Texas World Speedway
on traditional production posters, many of them constraints of the recording "Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, to see Nelson, Jennings,
techniques, wresting from illustrator Jim Franklin, studio and three-hour Legends and Lies," featured Van Zandt, Leon Russell,
creative control from their who designed surrealistic sessions." Silverstein's characters, a Walker and Kinky Friedman.
labels and turning their artwork for concerts held One iconic record of that vein of irreverent humor "When you looked out at
focus to song craft. at the Armadillo World period was a concept and a recorded laugh that sea of music fans out
"All of the main characters Headquarters in Austin. album dreamed up by track. The reverberations there that were celebrating
in the outlaw movement "Austin was grounded in red- Bobby Bare and Shel from the album shook up that music, that's the first
were poets, or if not, dirt Texas music, but there Silverstein, the Chicago- Nashville. time that I had any sense
had the poet's soul," said was also psychedelia in the born poet, illustrator, author "It was tremendous," Bare that it was bigger than the
Rodney Crowell, the Texas- air," said Peter Cooper, one and songwriter. Bare was said. "It got everybody's little life that I was living,"
born singer songwriter who of the museum's curators. given carte blanche to attention." Crowell said. But the outlaw
came to Nashville in the The exhibit also emphasizes come up with his own ideas At the same time, Jennings movement was short-lived.
'70s. how radio station KOKE-FM in the studio and he wanted took the helm as a co- "Wanted! The Outlaws"
The "Outlaws and and the longtime public something different. producer on his own featuring Nelson, Jennings,
Armadillos: Country's television program "Austin "I tried to get all the great albums, working with Colter and Tompall Glaser,
Roaring '70s" exhibit at City Limits," both helped songwriters in Nashville to songwriters like Shaver became a platinum-selling
the Country Music Hall promote the progressive write me a great album with to craft soulful, defiant album in 1976. A year later,
of Fame and Museum, country sounds. a thread going through it country rock anthems that Jennings was arrested
which opened last month for cocaine possession
and runs through 2021, in a Nashville studio,
features never-before- but charges were later
seen photos and interviews dropped. By 1978 the era
with iconic musicians had peaked and Jennings
from the era, unique released his song "Don't
memorabilia, instruments, You Think This Outlaw Bit's
stage costumes, original Done Got Out of Hand."
artwork and concert "I think Waylon bristled at the
posters, as well as special catchall phrase outlaw,"
programs and speakers. Crowell said. "Because of
Displays include Kris the self-respect you have
Kristofferson's Army uniform, as an artist, you don't want
Guy Clark's Randall knife, to be pigeonholed, even if
Nelson's sneakers, a stuffed it's a cool thing like being
armadillo and a copper still called an outlaw. Because
for making bootleg whiskey even that can become
that was donated by Tom confining."
T. Hall. A companion CD set of the
Austin-based filmmaker Eric same name is available
Geadelmann, a co-curator through Sony Music's
of the exhibit, put together Legacy Recordings, and
videos for the exhibit's the museum is selling a
eight screens featuring In this May 25, 2018 photo, visitors to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, companion book featuring
interviews with Kristofferson, Tenn., view the the Outlaws & Armadillos exhibit. essays, photos and
Clark, Jessi Colter, Jerry Jeff Associated Press artwork.q