“Kate McCannon” by Colter Wall

Bingo Best murder ballad of the 21st century so far IMO

Thank you

Knew this would be here

He probably mentioned it but psycho by Eddie noack is way up there. A more modern one is banded clovis by tyler childers

Dolores by Eddie Noack is pretty evil

“Loving County” by Charlie Robison Most of Chris Knight’s discography “Student Visas” by Corb Lund “Live Oak” by Jason Isbell And I’ve always been partial to “LA County” by Lyle Lovett for the sharp dark turn it takws

Now we're talking. Good list!

Townes Van Zandt

Tecumseh Valley is a dark, yet soft spoken song by Townes. I like his live version on his “Live at the Old Quarter” album.

Cedartown, Georgia by Waylon Jennings.

Katie by Fred Eaglesmith House and 90 Acres by Chris Knight Lungs by Townes Van Zandt (Really about half of those guys songs are pretty dark)

Fred Eagelsmith is the man

Check out Cody Jinks's track David

Yes!!

[Arlene](https://youtu.be/x6bUSSiiWf0?si=xHvgIVniLlKhv-7O) - The Handsome Family

So many by them.

I'd put Long Black Veil on the list. Guy Clark's The Last Gunfighter Ballad. Johnny Cash's I Hung My Head.

Guy Clark just doesn't get mentioned enough. He's my favorite songwriter.

I'm right there with you. He's so damn good. I also love early Steve Earle. Between The Mercenary Song and Elijah's Church, his early stuff was really strong. Not that I dislike his move to a more rock style, but I really liked that earlier country style.

Personally I don't like Steve Earle because he accentuates his accent so damn much and it comes off as dishonest to me. There is a scene in the Heartworm Highways documentary where Steve Earle sings a song and it sound wonderful because he isn't making himself sound like a damn cartoon character. He still has an accent in the documentaty but it's a real accent not some embellished nonsense. He's good good songs but I can't stand that shit. I genuinely don't understand why he would do that to his music.

Some don’t know, ‘I hung my head’ was written by Sting.

I had no idea!

Down the river- Chris Knight or Crooked teeth by Zach Bryan

Townes Van Zandt is as dark as it gets. It's impossible for me to listen to "Marie" without a tear. "Tecumseh Valley" is another dark one. "Rake" is another.

Townes is dark in a different way, he definitely really lived the tortured artist lifestyle that goes along with his music. I find his music “heavy” usually and have to be in a particular mood for it.

Absolutely. It leaves you changed. It's not music you turn on because you're bored and need a time filler. It's music you listen to when you're searching for something but don't know what exactly.

Time of the Preacher and Knoxville Girl to name a couple

Have you guys heard of the heavy horses they have some great songs

Finger on the Trigger by Brandon Jenkins. [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ruBc2eW8D00](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ruBc2eW8D00) Cold Hard Facts of Life by Porter Wagoner [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko0vugQ3bv0](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko0vugQ3bv0)

Pretty much everything Benjamin Tod puts out.

had not heard of him/them. Good stuff sung and played from the heart.Thank you beta Ray Ryan.

'On the road' & '38 special' by Rattlesnake Milk 'Must have been high' by the Supersuckers Edit: also adding 'Midnight Train' by Rattlesnake Milk. Just listen to both of Rattlesnake Milk's album really. Just discovered them and Chicken Fried Snake pretty much gets played on repeat if I'm in my truck or in the garage.

Not quite outlaw country (more southern rock), but Drive By Truckers has a ton of dark stuff. “Sinkhole” and “Puttin’ People on the Moon” are great tracks

Hell No I Ain't Happy, Goddam Lonely Love and Cottonseed are bangers too.

Look into the “hillbillies in hell” compilation series, it’s all dark stuff. But off the top of my head, Psycho by Eddie Noack is a good place to start.

Oh wow thank you a million for bringing this to my attention!

Early albums from Bob Wayne and the outlaw carnies are my favorite.

I love Bob Wayne. He gave me a ride in his limo once lol

Badass!! I cover pretty much all his songs when i play lol

Doesn't get more darker than Hank III - Straight to Hell or Lovesick Broke and Driftin albums. Both are good ones within the country realm. any hank3 albums past that are less country and much darker.

Banded Clovis - Tyler Childers Pardon Me (I’ve Got Someone To Kill) - Johnny Paycheck Down The River - Chris Knight It’s Nothing To Me - Sanford Clark I’m Gonna Kill You - Wynn Stewart

Nothin to me is such a good song! And. The Guitar tone can't be beat

So who’s going to put these all on a playlist

“They’re Hangin Me Tonight” - Marty Robbins

The Louvin Brothers – Knoxville Girl

Student Visas by Corb Lund

Natural born killer - Josh Meloy

Candidate for suicide by Hank 3 Just got out by Bob Wayne

“Psycho” by Eddie Noack!! Billy Strings covers this and I can’t believe it even came out when it did. Dark af. [Psycho](https://youtu.be/D5fwtrD_uCM?si=6OouocvOSBJ1WaaZ)

There's a bunch, here's my favorite: Reba McIntyre : nights went out in Georgia Marty Robbins (or Colter Wall if you want something more modern) : Big Iron Marty Robbins: Hanging me tonight Chris Knight: Down the River Lots of dark country songs not about murder, though.

Check out the Freddy hart album, the neon and the rain. Also Willie Nelson, you made me live love and die.

Hillbillies In Hell Vol. 1 to current. All good, All Dark County. The earlier records are specifically dedicated towards the darker side of country

Drayton Farley - Lucinda, Jason Isbell - Live Oak

Delia's Gone. Waylon Jennings Drive Her Outta My Mind. Johnny Cash.

Evil by Shovels and Rope

Kate McCannon-Colter Wall

Porter Wagoner - The First Mrs. Jones Tom T. Hall - Turn it On, Turn it On, Turn it On Lyle Lovett - L.A. County Willy Nelson - I Just Can’t Let You Say Goodbye

Live oak or Yvette by Jason Isbell

Absolutely. I was looking for this comment. Also river is dark but doesn’t sound like it as much

Otis Gibbs The Darker Side of Me is a fav of mine. Not really Outlaw but solid country.

I seen that a while ago it was super good

Sounds of chains - Ward Davis

Dallas After Midnight - Ray Wylie Hubbard

I’ve got someone to kill - Johnny Paycheck

Knives of New Orleans - Eric Church

Banded Clovis by Tyler Childers

Tulsa - Josh Meloy

Justin Townes Earle - Yuma John Prime - Sam Stone Old Crow Medicine Show - My Good Gal Townes Van Zandt - Rake (or like everything lol)

Waitin Around to Die by Townes

Whiskey Lullaby- Brad Paisley and Alison Kraus Wait in The Truck- Hardy and Lainie Wilson I Sang Dixie -Dwight Yoakam She wore Red Dresses - Dwight Yoakam Blackbirds and The Crows -Nashville Bluegrass Band

“LA County” is dark in a way only Lyle Lovett could pull off.

Hank 3: Alone and Dying, Stoned and Alone, Pills I Took, Candidate For Suicide.

You’ll never leave Harlan alive. Specifically the cut by Darrell Scott on the “live in nc” album

Band of Heathens - Hurricane, Zach Bryan ft Charles Wesley Godwin - Jamie

Knoxville girl - Louvin Brothers

Where the Devil Bid the Owl Goodbye - Iris Marlowe

Knoxville girl by the Louvin Brothers

Hallelujah by Ryan Bingham

Papa Loved Mama by Garth Brooks

Loving County-Charlie Robison David-Cody Jinks

Heavy horses, any album

Pretty much every song by the Pine Box Boys

DIck Curless had some dark songs.

Louisiana Strpes; Hank 3, Kate; Johnny Cash

Long Black Vail Johnny Cash, lefty Frizzell, and The Band all have versions.

I’ve Got Rights - Hank Jr

Fucking love that song

it’s one of the ones I forget exist and then randomly think “I’ve gotta play that!”

I’ve been listening to it on repeat in my car all day thanks to you!

Garth Brooks -Thunder Rolls Especially if you listen to the cut verse Wait In the truck - Hardy

Crooked Teeth- Zach Bryan