They are best known for their 1975 hit "There Goes Another Love Song" and extended guitar jam "Green Grass and High Tides" from their 1975 debut album, plus their 1980 cover of the Stan Jones classic "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky".
Outlaws were formed in Tampa, Florida in 1967 by guitarists/vocalists Frank Guidry, Hughie Thomasson, Herbie Pino and Hobie O'Brien.
In the spring of 1968, the group's first manager, Paul Deutekom, brought them to Epic Studios in New York City to record an album, which was never released after the band and the producer had a falling-out.
But O'Keefe went back to bass after Elliott left in 1969 and Herbie Pino, who had mostly been a singer up till this time, began playing more guitar as well.
In early 1970, Outlaws were joined by two members of the Dave Graham Group that was also managed by Paul Deutekom (of Ped-Dyn Productions).
In 1971 Henry Paul, a singer and guitarist who was born and raised in Hurley, New York but spent his later teen years in the Tampa area, returned from a stay in Greenwich Village NYC to form Sienna, which was more of a country rock outfit.
In 1972, Hughie Thomasson returned from a brief spell in New York where he had been backing folksinger Milton Carroll, joined up with Paul, Yoho and O'Keefe and Sienna became the reborn Outlaws.
On the way to the stage for Lynyrd Skynyrd's set, lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant said to Clive Davis, who was with Charlie Brusco, "If you don't sign Outlaws, you're the dumbest music person I've ever met—and I know you're not.
However, the Outlaws' mix of country and rock elements displays the vocal harmony influences of groups like Buffalo Springfield, the Byrds, Eagles, New Riders of the Purple Sage and Poco.
Thomasson's guitar sound was underpinned by the use of the Fender Stratocaster (and sometimes a Telecaster) played in a quasi-country style mixed with fluid, quick blues runs.
The other lead guitarist, Billy Jones, played mainly a Gibson Les Paul and switched between a clean and distorted sound.
Unfortunately, O'Keefe broke a bone in his neck after a fall into an empty pool on July 3, 1976 and was replaced by left-handed bass player Harvey Dalton Arnold on Hurry Sundown.
Paul was replaced by Freddie Salem (vocals, guitar) and drummer David Dix returned after the release of Sundown in 1977 to play alongside Yoho, making for a two-drummer lineup on Bring It Back Alive (1978), Playin' to Win (1978) and In the Eye of the Storm (1979), but Yoho left by the end of 1979.
Tragically, Billy Jones was let go in late 1981 due to increasing substance abuse troubles, and the depleted lineup of Thomasson, Dix, Salem and new bassist Rick Cua (who joined in 1980, just before Ghost Riders) released Los Hombres Malo in 1982.
Violinist Dave Lane (later to return briefly to the group as a guitarist in 1989) guested with the band on their 1982 tour but Arista dropped them after less than stellar sales for Los Hombres Malo, releasing Greatest Hits of the Outlaws, High Tides Forever at the close of that year.
In 1983 the group was back to touring clubs, with Bob Jenkins replacing Salem on guitar, but at this point Thomasson, who owned the name, was briefly considering taking a job outside the music business.
But in the middle of that same year, he and Dix decided to reunite with Henry Paul, while bringing in new players Steve Grisham (guitar, backing vocals) and Chuck Glass (vocals, bass, keyboards) and the new lineup eventually signed with Spencer Proffer and his Pasha Records label, who released Soldiers of Fortune in the fall of 1986.
During the late 80s and early to mid-90s, the band was back on the club and state fair circuit with Thomasson leading a "revolving door lineup".
In addition to them, the band included former guitarist Chris Anderson and new members, bassist Randy Threet and keyboardist Dave Robbins, all three of whom had been with Paul's country group, BlackHawk.
In January 2008, the Outlaws lineup would be revealed to include Henry Paul (guitars/vocals), Monte Yoho (drums) and Chris Anderson (guitars/vocals), along with newer additions Billy Crain (guitars), Jon Coleman (keyboards) and Brett Cartwright (bass, ex-Foghat), who was soon replaced by the returning Randy Threet.
This would be the first lineup in Outlaws' history without Hughie Thomasson on guitar and vocals, as from the band's formation to his death, he was the only constant member, garnering him the nicknames "Mr.
According to the band's web site, the Outlaws announced their intention to continue to tour throughout the summer and fall of 2009 with this lineup and planned to participate in the Simple Man Cruise with Lynyrd Skynyrd in January 2010.
[14] For the 2010 tour, Dave Robbins returned on keyboards and Henry Paul was involved in a lawsuit brought about by Hughie Thomasson's widow, Mary, which alleged trademark violations.
The final track was a cover of the Henry Paul Band song "So Long" from its 1979 debut album, Grey Ghost.
In 2013, Crain left the group due to health issues and Steve Grisham, who performed on the 1986 album Soldiers of Fortune, rejoined as guitarist.