Outlaws- Hurry Sundown

Hurry Sundown

Before Henry Paul (of Black Hawk fame more recently) left the Outlaws to form the very credible Henry Paul Band, he, Hughie Thomasson, Billy Jones (RIP), Harvey Dalton Arnold, and Monte Yoho contributed what many feel is the quintessential Outlaws album: Hurry Sundown. The band had pulled off two incredible albums with the eponymous debut and the sophomore effort "Lady in Waiting", both of which featured music that would often lean more in the country direction (and done superbly) whereas "Hurry Sundown" began a deliberate shift to a harder rocking style. Of course, Country is a portion of the recipe that made Southern Rock great and it isn't completely forsaken here as such songs as the title track,"Hurry Sundown", "Hearin' My Heart Talkin'", "So Afraid" (sung by bassist Harvey D. Arnold; has banjo in it!), and Gunsmoke (sung by Henry Paul) all have strong country elements but are country with lots more "sting" in the guitar department. I think the departures of Henry Paul and Harvey Dalton Arnold later were incidentally the departure of the "country" element from the band and it virtually disappeared after this release, sadly. Hughie Thomasson is a guitar God, though, in my opinion and one of the most overlooked talents in the music world, and I, for one, am glad his stint with Lynyrd Skynyrd is over as the Outlaws are back out there kicking up dust and Paul, Thomasson and Co. are doing what they NEED to be doing: Outlaw Music!! Fortunately, Buddah Records, in association with Arista, re-issued the first 3 (and by far the best) Outlaw albums on CD back in 2001, I think, and they need to be YOUR collection!! Let the "Florida Guitar Army" take your breath and transport you to a time when the South had truly "risen again"!