(Ghost) Riders in the Sky

The Zoo Crew, those groovy hippie DJs at THE ZOO radio station, are spinning the haunting southern rock anthem "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" by The Outlaws from their 1980 album Ghost Riders, and the Zoo Freaks are loving it. This track, a cover of the 1948 Stan Jones classic, became one of The Outlaws' biggest hits, reaching No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. According to a 1980 interview with guitarist Hughie Thomasson, the band chose to record it because they wanted a song that captured their high-energy live performances. "We'd been playing it in our shows for years, and it just clicked with the crowd," Thomasson said. The song’s eerie tale of ghostly cowboys chasing the Devil’s herd across the sky, paired with the band’s blistering guitar riffs, made it a staple of their live sets. A fan on the Outlaws Fan Club Facebook group recently shared a story about seeing the band perform it during a thunderstorm in 1980 at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, where rain poured down the moment the opening chords hit, creating a surreal, almost supernatural vibe for the 100,000-strong crowd.

Another cool tidbit comes from a post on The Outlaws’ official X account, where they shared that the song’s iconic yodeling "Yippie i ay, Yippie i oh" was nearly cut from their version. Producer Paul Rothchild convinced them to keep it, arguing it tied their hard rock sound to the song’s cowboy roots. The track’s success helped the Ghost Riders album mark a comeback for the band after a string of less successful releases, earning them attention beyond southern rock circles. Fans on the Southern Rock Community website often cite the song’s cinematic quality, with one user describing it as "like a Sergio Leone western in audio form." The Outlaws’ version also inspired covers by other artists, and a 2021 Instagram post from the band celebrated its use in the soundtrack for the film Ghost Rider, calling it "a proud moment for the boys from Tampa."

The Outlaws, hailing from Tampa, Florida, started as a scrappy southern rock outfit in 1967, originally called The Four Letter Words. Guitarists/vocalists Frank Guidry, Hughie Thomasson, Herbie Pino, and Hobie O'Brien, along with drummer David Dix and bassist Phil Holmberg, laid the foundation. According to their bio on their official website, the band went through several lineup changes before settling on their iconic name in 1968 after Guidry joined a previous band with the same moniker. By 1972, Thomasson, Henry Paul, Frank O’Keefe, Billy Jones, and Monte Yoho solidified the core group. Their big break came in 1974 when they opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd in Columbus, Georgia. Lynyrd’s frontman Ronnie Van Zant famously told Arista Records’ Clive Davis, “If you don’t sign Outlaws, you’re the dumbest music person I’ve ever met,” as recounted in a 2012 band interview on their Facebook page. Signed to Arista, their 1975 debut album delivered hits like "There Goes Another Love Song" and the epic "Green Grass and High Tides," cementing their place in southern rock history.

The Outlaws’ signature sound—blending dual lead guitars with three- and four-part vocal harmonies—set them apart from peers like The Allman Brothers or Lynyrd Skynyrd, who typically relied on a single lead singer. Their early years were marked by relentless touring, which honed their tight, energetic performances. Despite lineup changes and tragedies, including the 1995 deaths of Billy Jones and Frank O’Keefe, the band has persevered. Current members Henry Paul and Monte Yoho, both originals, keep the flame alive, as noted in a bio on AllMusic. Fans can connect with the band on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. For deeper fan interaction, check out the Outlaws Fan Club on Facebook or the Southern Rock Community website, where Zoo Freaks and southern rock lovers swap stories and celebrate the band’s legacy.