Forgotten Outlaws (Part 1)

My last blog was no exception. Wayne gave us the great story behind the song Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother by the forgotten Outlaw Ray Wylie Hubbard.

I’d been meaning to write a blog about Ray Wylie, and esp. that song for a while, because the story behind that song took place just down the road from where the original freehank3.org hideout was in northern New Mexico.

There was a lot of great Outlaw history in that area of New Mexico, called the ‘Enchanted Circle’ and damn do I miss that place. Michael Martin Murphy’s spread was just down the road from mine. In and around Taos, the main town up there, is where they filmed a lot of the legendary movie ‘Easy Rider,’ and there’s a great story about how Dennis Hopper one night won a bunch of acid in a poker game, downed it all, pulled a pistol out of his boot and started shooting up downtown. He was bailed out of jail by none other than Willie Nelson who was hanging out up there at the time.

There’s a lot of great stories about the old forgotten Outlaws. I’d probably put more here, but they don’t get as much attention as when I talk about III & Jr. slinging mud, or I tell some pop country prick to go eat a dick.

But there’s some great Outlaw stories. Some about Outlaws you’ve heard of, some you haven’t, and some you’ve heard of but never though they had any involvement in country music . . .

Like . . .

Shel Silverstein, well-known children’s author was an Outlaw. Don’t believe me? Check it:

“Tompall (Glaser) recorded a new version of Jimmy Rodger’s “T For Texas,” and we licensed him doing Shel Silverstein’s “Put Another Log on the Fire” from MGM. Shel was an honorary Outlaw in our eyes.”

Shel also won a Grammy in 1970 for being the writer of Johnny Cash’s hit “Boy Named Sue.”

Bobby Bare, one of the ORIGINAL outlaws to take control of his own music, even before Willie & Waylon did, did a whole album of Shel Silverstein songs called Lullabys, Legends, & Lies. It’s some of Bobby Bare’s best stuff and helped save his career. It’s now sold as a two disc set. This is one of the better songs from it. Check out Bobby & Shel pictured together on the top right of the back cover:

Shel also wrote pretty much every song for the country rock group Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show including ‘Cover of the Rolling Stone,’ ‘Freakin’ at the Freaker’s Ball,’ and ‘Sylvia’s Mother.’ Dr. Hook’s bit was to get a high as a human can be, and then try to play music. These dude’s are off the wall:

Now I’ve been impressed with the Outlaw country knowledge of my readers when I’ve talked about Outlaw history before, so I’m sure there’s a bunch of you out there that knew about Shel Silverstein. You’z some smart fellers. But there’s another dude I bet ya’ll would NEVER suspect of being an Outlaw Country Hero.

Or maybe I’m wrong.

I’ll give you fuckers two hints. If someone guesses right, I really don’t have anything to give you ’cause I’m shit ass poor, but I’ll acknowledge you in part 2 of this blog.

The hints are:

Liquid Paper

Toboggan

And don’t google cheat.

Have a Good Weekend Hellbillies!