“What’s “outlaw” about it?”
They rejected the cookie-cutter Nashville controlled image of what “country” was supposed to be about.
Good example: Look up Willie singing “Crazy” from 1960.
Business suit and short hair. Once he decided to leave Nashville and go back to Texas, he went “outlaw”. Much better reception of that kind of Willie.
He got out of the corporate side of music and made his own way.