Texas Country Music and the Outlaw Movement
There are many die hard country music fans all over the world, and the majority of
country music singers get their starts in Nashville, Tennesee. However, starting in the
early 1970’s, a handful of country music stars decided to move away from Nashville, and
settle in Texas. This became known as the country music Outlaw movement.

The Outlaw movement was lead by two of the most famous country and western singers,
Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. They did not do all the work on their own; however,
they had help from many other country music songwriters, including Steven Fromholtz,
who became famous for writing one of Willie Nelson’s hits, I’d Have to Be crazy. Billy
Joe Shaver also helped bring about the Outlaw movement; he was famous for writing
many of the songs that were included on one of Waylon Jennings’ famous albums,
Honky Tonk Heroes.

Another songwriter came all the way from New York to support the Outlaw movement,
Jerry Jeff Walker, who wrote Mr. Bo Jangles, and then later recording his own album,
titled A Man Must Carry On. Jerry Jeff Walker owes his singing career to the help he
received from Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, who allowed Walker to sing with
them.

Another famous singer from the time who played a role in helping Waylon and Willie
with the Texas Outlaw movement was Joe Ely. He was known for primarily singing rock
songs, and then later produced Gallo Del Cielo.

There are many other famous country singers and songwriters who currently work in or
for their start in Texas. One of the most famous songwriters that was actively involved in
the Outlaw movement was James McMurty, touted one of the most notable country
songwriters to date.

A famous country singer that got his start in Texas is Cody Morrow, who to date has had
record sales of more than 200,000 compact discs, and has booked more than 150 tour
dates so far. Recently, Morrow sang in duet with Pat Green, a famous Texas country
singer who just recently was awarded a contract with a popular country record label.

Other famous country singers who began in Texas include Roger Craeger, Ray Wylie
Hubbard, famous for a theme song called Redneck Mothers, Jack Ingram, Max Stalling,
Aaron Watson, and Stoney Larue, all fairly new to the country music scene, Robert Earl
Keen famous for a song he wrote that was picked up by Joe Ely and the Highwaymen
called The Road That Goes On Forever, Dale Watson, Gary P. Nunn, Cross Canadian
Ragweed, Randy Rogers Band, and many, many others.

Do any internet search for famous Texas county music singers and songwriters and you
will likely be amazed at all of the results you will get. But no matter how many famous
country singers come from Texas in the future, the two most famous for the Texas
Outlaw movement will always be Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. They are the
founding fathers of Texas country music, and always will be!

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