Premiere: L.A. country artist Sam Outlaw’s ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’

The Times is premiering a video from the forthcoming album by California country artist Sam Outlaw—yes, that’s his family’s name (his mother’s maiden name actually)—that was, fittingly enough, shot in a loft in downtown Los Angeles.

“Who Do You Think You Are?” will be on Outlaw’s debut album “Angeleno,” co-produced by another Southern Californian who knows a thing or two about traditoinal country and roots music, Ry Cooder, and his son, Joachim Cooder.

Outlaw is hoping to take his place in a long line of California country acts that historically had a little more ssass, a little more sting, a little more attitude than their Nashville counterparts, going back to the days of Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Wynn Stewart, Tommy Collins and numerous others who emerged in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Rolling Stone has already praised Outlaw for “leading the rebirth of L.A.’s modern country scene.”

Of “Who Do Think You Are?” Outlaw says, “It’s really just a simple pop song about love found and lost in Baja California - a kind of fantasy romance that turns sour. Ry Cooder produced the album and brought in mariachis for a couple of the songs, including this one. The strings and brass create this really distinct Southern California flavor that I think effectively sets the mood for the album.”

He added, apologetically, “I couldn’t afford to bring the mariachis back to film this video but God knows I would have liked to!”

Along with members of his own band, the album includes some guest spots by Bo Koster from My Morning Jacket, Dawes’ guitarist-singer-songwriter Taylor Goldsmith, the Punch Brothers’ Gabe Witcher and Cooder.

Outlaw trekked to Pioneertown last year to shoot another video in which he talks about his love for the West Coast country sound, and that one can be seen here.

“Angeleno” is scheduled for a June 9 release, and that night he’ll play a record release show at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. He’s headed out on tour starting tonight, April 22, at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City, and he’ll be alternating solo dates with opening slots for Dwight Yoakam, Asleep at the Wheel, Sheryl Crow and Dawes.

The tour reaches Southern California on June 5 with a stop at Don the Beachcomber in Huntington Beach, followed by the Belly Up show, then the Silverlake Lounge on June 10 before moving up the West Coast and then across the country to conclude July 21 in Burlington, Vt.

The full tour itinerary can be found here on Outlaw’s official web site.

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