Story Behind the Song: Ray Wylie Hubbard, 'Outlaw Blood'

Ray Wylie Hubbard's 2020 studio album Co-Starring is full of collaborations with the songwriting legend's musical friends: living legends including Ronnie Dunn and Ringo Starr, but also younger and up-and-coming performers, such as Larkin Poe, Aaron Lee Tasjan and Ashley McBryde.

Stories about independent, capable -- and often dangerous -- women are prominent throughout Hubbard's songwriting catalog, and his duet with McBryde, "Outlaw Blood," is no exception. Read on as Hubbard recounts the story of how he met and wrote a song with McBryde -- as well as the moment that made him realize that she was going to become a great friend.

["Outlaw Blood"] is just about a woman who has, you know, outlaw blood.

When I first met Ashley, it was the first time we met, was to write a song. I said, "Do you have any problem with singing the line, 'Virtue is overrated'?" And she goes, "No, not at all!" And I was like, "Ah, okay, I love this woman."

So I'd written a song about a woman who's kind of independent and has her own way -- you know, a woman who's got the outlaw blood. So, who better to do it than Ashley?

I'm a great admirer of women, especially the ones who just are independent.

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