Chapter 24: Country Rock & Southern Rock
Chapter 5 covers the rise of country rock and Southern rock in the late 1960s and 1970s. Country rock combined country, folk, and rock to create a quintessentially West Coast aesthetic, while Southern rock drew from blues, soul, and jazz to create a heavier sound rooted in the American South.
Important Terms
Country Rock – A genre that blends country music instrumentation and storytelling with rock rhythms and songwriting.
Southern Rock – A style of rock rooted in blues, country, soul, and Southern identity, known for multiple guitars and extended improvisation.
Pedal Steel Guitar – An electric guitar played with pedals and a steel bar that creates smooth, sliding notes.
Dobro – A resonator guitar with a bright, metallic sound commonly used in country and bluegrass music.
Singer-Songwriter – A musician who writes and performs their own songs, often drawing from personal experiences.
Supergroup – A band formed by musicians who were already successful in other groups.
Harmony Vocals – Multiple vocal parts sung together to create richer musical textures.
Slide Guitar – Guitar technique using a slide to create smooth transitions between notes.
Bottleneck Slide – A slide guitar technique originally using the neck of a bottle to glide across the strings.
Dual Lead Guitars – Two guitarists sharing melody and solo responsibilities.
Three-Guitar Front Line – A Southern rock arrangement featuring three lead guitarists.
Improvisation – Creating or expanding musical ideas during a performance.
12/8 Time – Compound meter with four groups of three eighth notes.
11/8 Time – An irregular meter with eleven eighth notes per measure, creating rhythmic tension.
Feedback – The sustained guitar sound created when amplified sound loops back into the guitar pickups.
Alternate Guitar Tunings – Guitar tunings different from standard tuning that create unique chord voicings and harmonic colors.
Arena Rock – Large-scale rock music designed for stadium and arena performances.
Country-Rock Fusion – The blending of country and rock musical styles into a single genre.
Roots Rock – Rock music heavily influenced by early American musical traditions, including blues, country, and folk.
Jam Band Style – Music featuring long improvisational instrumental sections.
The "Me Decade" – A nickname for the 1970s, reflecting increased emphasis on personal identity and self-expression.
Narrative Lyrics – Lyrics that tell a story rather than simply expressing emotions.
Artists Discussed
The Byrds – One of the first bands to successfully blend folk rock and country music, helping establish country rock.
Gram Parsons – Pioneer of country rock through his work with the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, and his solo career.
Flying Burrito Brothers – Country rock band founded by Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman that expanded the fusion of country and rock.
Buffalo Springfield – Folk rock band whose members helped define country rock and the Laurel Canyon scene.
Poco – Country rock band formed from members of Buffalo Springfield.
Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) – Folk-rock supergroup known for close vocal harmonies and singer-songwriter influences.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY) – Expanded version of CSN featuring Neil Young and known for political songs like "Ohio."
Linda Ronstadt – Singer whose work helped popularize country rock and launched the careers of the Eagles.
Neil Young – Singer-songwriter who blended folk, country, and rock while influencing country rock, grunge, and protest music.
Bob Dylan – Folk-rock pioneer whose Nashville recordings helped inspire the country rock movement.
Emmylou Harris – Country singer whose collaborations with Gram Parsons became foundational to country rock.
Cass Elliot – Member of the Mamas & the Papas whose home became the social center of Laurel Canyon.
Joni Mitchell – Influential singer-songwriter known for poetic lyrics, alternate guitar tunings, and albums like Blue.
Frank Zappa – Experimental rock musician associated with the Laurel Canyon community.
Carole King – Singer-songwriter whose album Tapestry became one of the defining works of the singer-songwriter movement.
America – Folk rock band associated with the Laurel Canyon scene.
James Taylor – Singer-songwriter known for introspective songs like "Fire and Rain."
Jackson Browne – Influential singer-songwriter and co-writer of "Take It Easy."
JD Souther – Songwriter who frequently collaborated with the Eagles and other Laurel Canyon artists.
David Geffen – Founder of Asylum Records and major supporter of Laurel Canyon artists..
Asylum Records – Record label central to the success of many Laurel Canyon musicians.
The Eagles – Best-selling American country rock band of the 1970s.
Glyn Johns – Producer of the Eagles' early albums.
Irving Azoff – Manager who guided the Eagles through their most successful years.
Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) – California band that helped inspire Southern rock through roots-oriented music.
The Allman Brothers Band – Founders of Southern rock known for dual guitars, improvisation, and blues influences.
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Southern rock band known for "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird."
ZZ Top – Texas blues-rock trio blending Southern rock, blues, and humor.
Songs Referenced
"All Along the Watchtower" – Bob Dylan
"Lay Lady Lay" – Bob Dylan
"Girl from the North Country" – Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash
"Eight Miles High" – The Byrds
"Change Is Now" – The Byrds
"Wasn't Born to Follow" – The Byrds
"Old John Robertson" – The Byrds
"You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" – Bob Dylan (recorded by The Byrds)
"One Hundred Years from Now" – Gram Parsons
"Carolina in My Mind" – James Taylor
"Fire and Rain" – James Taylor
"You've Got a Friend" – Carole King (popularized by James Taylor)
"It's Too Late" – Carole King
"Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" – Crosby, Stills & Nash
"Helplessly Hoping" – Crosby, Stills & Nash
"Teach Your Children" – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
"Helpless" – Neil Young
"Carry On" – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
"Our House" – Graham Nash
"Ohio" – Neil Young
"Cinnamon Girl" – Neil Young
"Cowgirl in the Sand" – Neil Young
"Down by the River" – Neil Young
"Don't Let It Bring You Down" – Neil Young
"Only Love Can Break Your Heart" – Neil Young
"Southern Man" – Neil Young
"Heart of Gold" – Neil Young
"These Days" – Jackson Browne
"Take It Easy" – Jackson Browne & Glenn Frey (recorded by the Eagles)
"Doctor, My Eyes" – Jackson Browne
"Rock Me on the Water" – Jackson Browne
"Big Yellow Taxi" – Joni Mitchell
"Woodstock" – Joni Mitchell
"Both Sides, Now" – Joni Mitchell
"California" – Joni Mitchell
"Witchy Woman" – Eagles
"Peaceful Easy Feeling" – Eagles
"Tequila Sunrise" – Eagles
"Desperado" – Eagles
"Already Gone" – Eagles
"James Dean" – Eagles
"Best of My Love" – Eagles
"One of These Nights" – Eagles
"Too Many Hands" – Eagles
"Take It to the Limit" – Eagles
"Lyin' Eyes" – Eagles
"Life in the Fast Lane" – Eagles
"New Kid in Town" – Eagles
"Hotel California" – Eagles
"Born on the Bayou" – Creedence Clearwater Revival
"Proud Mary" – Creedence Clearwater Revival
"Green River" – Creedence Clearwater Revival
"Statesboro Blues" – Blind Willie McTell (popularized by the Allman Brothers Band)
"Whipping Post" – The Allman Brothers Band
"Ramblin' Man" – The Allman Brothers Band
"Southbound" – The Allman Brothers Band
"Alabama" – Neil Young
"Sweet Home Alabama" – Lynyrd Skynyrd
"Free Bird" – Lynyrd Skynyrd
"La Grange" – ZZ Top
"Tush" – ZZ Top
"Legs" – ZZ Top
"Gimme All Your Lovin'" – ZZ Top