I grew up with the type.
They can recite the dialogue of "Thunder Road" from memory.
The [1958] film became a cult classic and continued to play at drive-in movie theaters in some Southeastern markets through the 1970s and 1980s.
From the Wikipedia entry for the film.
This is a common cultural stereotype. In my opinion, I believe it originated with the wave of public adulation for Jesse James, which somehow conflated his exploits as a ruthless sociopath and killer with his alleged status as a champion of Confederate values following the Civil War.
The "outlaw" is a common theme and archetype in rural Southern working class culture: witness Waylon and Willie, the Florida motorcycle gang, and Johnny Cash. I interpret it primarily as a subconscious reaction to religious fundamentalism, sexual frustration, and systematic economic repression.