A musician discovers that there's no such thing as bad publicity when a murder charge makes him a star in this comedy-drama. Bobby Ogden (
Peter Fonda) is an ex-con trying to go straight and build a career as a country and western singer. Bobby gets the opportunity to show off some of his tunes to Nashville star Garland Dupree (
James Callahan), but Garland takes Bobby's best song, "Outlaw Blues," and puts his own name to it. Suddenly Bobby's tune is a hit, with the struggling writer getting no credit (and no royalties). An understandably angry Bobby confronts Garland, and when Garland is found shot dead shortly afterward, Bobby becomes the prime suspect. Bobby is innocent, but hardly anyone believes this outside of Garland's back-up singer Tina Waters (Susan St. James). Bobby and Tina hit the road together, and the wanted man becomes an underground hero as Bobby climbs both the Billboard charts and the "Most Wanted" list.
Peter Fonda does his own singing in Outlaw Blues, and he croons half a dozen tunes, including three written for the film by
Hoyt Axton. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide