Haywood band Outlaw Whiskey unveils new album

Feb. 8—When a motley crew of Haywood County musicians started jamming together seven years ago, they had no idea the heights they would reach.

"We basically just started out with just a couple guys on flat top guitars and started playing," said songwriter and guitarist Gerald Scott, who started the band.

The country rock band 'Outlaw Whiskey' fuses together the soulful sounds of Appalachia with inspiration from classic rock bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd.

The band has not only amassed a loyal following of local fans, they have been recognized nationally as well.

Last March, Outlaw Whiskey was recognized as Band of the Year in the category of "New Country: 50 & Over" by the North America Country Music Association International.

Scott took home the award for "Songwriter of the Year" the year prior. He was happy to share the stage with the rest of his band.

"I was really proud of them, the guys have worked really hard in the band and they put forth 100% either in the rehearsal, or whenever we're out doing a show," Scott said.

This year, lead vocalist Mike Holt is up for "Best Male vocalist" and Scott is up for "Songwriter of the Year."

"I think the camaraderie is one thing, everybody's on the same page. We do what we need to do and get it done," Holt said. "And at this stage of life, it's an honor for me just to still get back up there and do it."

More than a band

The groups talent includes Mike Holt (lead vocalist/guitar), Gerald Scott (guitarist/vocalist), Rickie Hudson (lead guitarist), Ron Plis (bass guitarist) and Chad Gates (drums/percussion.)

Though their lineup of players has shifted through the years, the group has remained steadfast in their passion, even dubbing themselves as a musical family, rather than bandmates.

"It's just a big family now, we have a lot of fun with it. I think we bring the best out of each other at each show, we strive to do that as a band," Scott said. "And if we bring someone new on we vote on them as a band."

The band's newest member is bassist Ron Plis, who's been playing with the group the past six months.

"The first time that we all played together here at the rehearsal room in the house you just had that feeling. It's a feeling you can't put into words," Scott said. "All these guys brought the right pieces to the table at the right time."

As the band has expanded, acquiring new skills and welcoming new members, they have also endured sorrow in recent years due to the loss of their longtime bassist, Nick Gebbia, who passed away in 2022 after battling illness.

"He's missed, and even though he's passed on, he's still a member of the band," Scott said. "We could tell the first time we played after his passing that we could feel his presence. If we're playing 'Knockin' on Heaven's door' we don't usually say this is for him, but the band knows it is to him."

The musicians have come together over the years through serendipitous means. Lead vocalist Holt and Scott, for example, worked together in law enforcement for years — a stark contrast to the rebellious 'Outlaw Whiskey' title.

"But neither of us knew that the other played or sang," Scott said. "We kind of chuckle about that now, that we're playing a band called 'Outlaw Whiskey.'"

The name of the group spurred from a song Scott, a Haywood native, wrote in Maggie Valley.

"I got to thinking about stories my dad and my uncle told me, and thought 'well, there could be something here' — 20 minutes later it was written," Scott said.

The group pays homage to Haywood County throughout their albums and the upcoming music video for the song "Dirt in Your Hands." The music video, shot entirely in Haywood County, follows the story of a boy living in the big city who goes to live with his grandfather on his farm after the loss of his parents.

"What you learn from this land is what you're going to be. It's going to make you the man you're going to become," Scott said.

First album milestone

The band is brewing up a storm this Saturday, when their first original album "A Storm is Coming" is unveiled. It got the name from fans.

"Though, we don't call them fans we call them friends, because fans cool you off," Scott quipped.

The band's "friends" pointed out that the album cover's ominous background appeared to foretell a tempest on the horizon.

"The music is coming and it's the storm, and you can hear it — there's lightning and thunder because that's the way the music is," said lead singer Mike Holt.

Holt ended up writing the title song "A storm is Coming" after the album name was decided.

The band plays across a three-state region, but can routinely be caught in Haywood. Scheduled shows include the American Legion in Waynesville on March 8, and Furman's Burger Bar in Waynesville May 4.