The Outlaws guitarist and singer Freddie Salem dead at 70
Freddie Salem, the former guitarist and singer of the American rock band The Outlaws, has died aged 70. The group have confirmed news of Salem’s passing.
While Salem wasn’t a founding member of the group, he played a pivotal part in their story upon joining in 1977 following the departure of Henry Paul. In total, he played on four records by The Outlaws before eventually leaving in 1983, when Paul came back into the fold.
On Facebook, the band revealed Salem had died following a battle with cancer. They wrote: “It’s with a heavy heart that we have to tell Outlaws fans about the passing of our former guitarist Freddie Salem. Freddie passed from complications due to cancer and will be remembered for his outgoing personality and passion for music.”
The Outlaws’ statement continued: “He first appeared with the Outlaws on the album Playin’ to Win and then remained in the band for the following 4 albums. He was an electric performer and beloved musician and he will be missed”.
Notably, during Salem’s time with the band they garnered a reputation for their impressive live performances. Whenever huge international acts passed through the southern states of America, The Outlaws were usually asked to open during the late 1970s. Notable names they shared a bill alongside include The Rolling Stones, The Who, Black Sabbath, Rush, Queen and Van Halen.
For those six years, Salem kept The Outlaws’ head above water during a difficult time when they could have feasibly parted ways. The most successful record they released during his tenure was 1980’s Ghost Riders, which peaked at 25 in the United States.
During an interview with RTJ Webzine, Salem reflected on his experience of touring with The Rolling Stones, stating, “No other band in the world tours like the Stones. Its similar to a traveling circus. Always something going on. The Stones treated the Outlaws very well. The experience was incomparable to anything I had ever experienced, till this day. Even though we had performed with the Grateful Dead and other stadium shows but nothing even came close to the Stones. Brilliant experience indeed.”
In the same interview, he looked back fondly with his time in The Outlaws, and the rise they endured while he was a member. “Most memories of my tenure with the Outlaws were the best of times. We became a magnificent recording and live headlining band selling out major arenas and coliseum’s worldwide. It was an exciting time to build the visibility and success of the band. As far as regrets, none,” he shared.
However, after they were dropped by Arista Records following the release of 1982’s Los Hombres Malo, Salem decided to walk away from the group before their star deteriorate further. In his later years, Salem returned to being a session musician and played on a number of songs by Barbara Streisand.
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