In country music today, outlaws are in.
Witness the ascent of Chris Stapleton. Last year, the long-haired, bearded Nashville outsider took both the album and song of the year prizes at the Academy of Country Music Awards for his debut solo album, “Traveller.” This year, his “From a Room: Vol. 1,” enjoyed the largest opening sales week for a country album in a year and a half, a feat last achieved by the mainstream Nashville star Luke Bryan.
Earlier this year, another rebel soul, Sturgill Simpson, landed the Grammy for best country album and was nominated for that show’s peak prize, album of the year, right next to stars like Adele and Beyonce. In early July, Nashville outlier Jason Isbell debuted in the top spot on Billboard’s country album chart with his latest set, ironically titled “The Nashville Sound.”
Small wonder many observers think “outlaw country” is having a moment — again. “Finally we’re able to see these kinds of artists achieving what they always should have achieved,” said Brigitte London, editor of Outlaw Magazine, an online publication dedicated to the subgenre.
“Country music is getting new energy from these artists,” said musician Lenny Kaye, who ghost-wrote the autobiography of one of the original outlaw stars, Waylon Jennings, and who plays in Patti Smith’s band. “They’ve giving a new voice to this generation.”