Bonnie Raitt
The Mavericks
Atkins/Knopfler
Leann Rimes |
I was wondering how far down I was going to have to go before somebody mentioned the early-mid 70's influences of the NRPS and even moreso The Dead. They are the closest definition of country rock I can think of. The Marshall Tucker band would also fall right in line.
As far as current day stuff, there is a band called Railroad Earth which is a country/bluegrass/rock band. These guys are GREAT both live and on their new live CD called ELKO, and the quality of the recording is definately worth the shot. I ran the whole disc through twice on Sunday after seeing them live on Sat. night. The disc sung like a bird on my 3 month old MBL/Tara Labs setup. Really sweet. |
dcisok, waltersalas - thanks! I now have a shopping list. |
Sorry I didn't give more specific examples in my first post. If I were going to recommend a beginner's library of great country rock, it would have to include the following, specifically:
The International Submarine Band – Safe At Home
The Byrds – Sweetheart of the Rodeo
The Flying Burrito Brothers – The Gilded Palace of Sin
Gram Parsons – Grievous Angel
Buck Owens – The Buck Owens Collection
The Jayhawks – Rainy Day Music, Blue Earth, and Hollywood Town Hall
Rank and File – Sundown and Long Gone Dead
The Silos – Cuba
Steve Earle – Copperhead Road and El Corazon
Rosanne Cash – Interiors and Kings Record Shop
Jimmie Dale Gilmore – After Awhile and Spinning Around the Sun
Joe Ely – Honky Tonk Masquerade
Neil Young – Comes A Time
Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Kasey Chambers – The Captain
The Old 97s – Fight Songs
Jo Carol Pierce – Bad Girls Upset By the Truth
Neko Case – Blacklisted
The Blasters – American Music
Trailer Bride – Whine de Lune
Drive-By Truckers – Decoration Day
The Bottle Rockets – The Brooklyn Side and 24 Hours a Day
Jason and the Scorchers – Fervor
Elvis Costello – Almost Blue
Gary Allan – Tough All Over
Buffalo Springfield – Buffalo Springfield Again
These are in no particular order, hardly comprehensive, and lean too heavily on alt-country (sorry, but I could never get much into the Uncle Tupelo/Son Volt/Wilco branch of the tree). Sorry for repeating what's already been mentioned...
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Buddy Miller-Universal House of Prayer (or anything w/his name on it)
Mary Gauthier- Mercy Now
Ray Charles- the Complete Country & Western Recordings
Waylon Jennings- Waylon Live (Expanded)
Rosanne Cash - Black Cadillac
Ray Wylie Hubbard - Growl
Tony Joe White, Best of / (also) The Heroines
Delbert McClinton - Cost of Living
Dan Penn - Do Right Man
Kris Kristofferson - Silver Tongued Devil and I / Me & Bobbie McGhee (contains four stone hits: title track, Help Me Make It Through the Night, Sunday Morning Coming Down, For the Good Times . . . how many debuts top that?)
Nick Lowe - the Impossible Bird
A lot of this, of course, has as much to do w/unvarnished soul as it does with country or rock (and roll) . . . the best of it falls through the cracks we know as genres or radio formats! (The Beatles, I Don't Want To Spoil the Party, George's guitar break on ALL MY LOVING, among other Fabbers) . . . caught me in an expansive (dig this) mood.
dc |
Acknowledging that Pmarcian already mentioned the New Riders, I will be more specific and recommend the New Riders of the Purple Sage's first LP, "NRPS," which includes not only the immortal "Henry," but songs like "Glendale Train" and "Portland Woman." Not to mention Jerry Garcia on the pedal steel.
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jond hit the nail on the head
I forgot Wilco, Gillian Welch and Uncle Tupelo
also Flying Burrito Brothers, Poco, New Riders of the Purple Sage |
Some good 'uns
Heartsfield
Dan Fogleberg (early)
Dr. John
Don Williams
Leon Russell
John Fogerty/Creedence Clearwater Revival
Batdorf & Rodney
Elvis
'Yall come back now, Ya hear? |
Ryan Adams - "Jacksonville City Nights"
Whiskeytown - "Strangers Almanac" |
How about James McMurtry? Try "St. Mary of the Woods," "Live in Ought Three," "Childish Things." Also check out Southern Culture on the Skids, Joe Ely and Frank Carillo and the Bandeleros' "Bad Out There."
Tom |
the dillards-the decade waltz....guy clark-ol' no.1......jerry jeff walker-its a good night for singin'.....michael dinner-tomb thumb the dreamer....richie furray-dance a little light......earth opera-the great american eagle tragedy....valerie carter.....the byrds-ballad of easy rider |
Thanks for all of the recommended groups. How about specific releases you're fond of - especially those with lifelike production/recording? . . . and yes this is suppose to be best of - albums , not just artists
Here's another few I like:
EmmyLou Harris - "Wrecking Ball"
Patty Griffin - "Living with Ghosts"
Johny Cash - "American Recordings"
Lyle Lovette - "Pontiac" |
OOoopps. sorry, I can't read. This was supposed to be a "best of" thread and I just threw out general recommendations. |
You guys have hit the sweet ones. I'll through out some from the golden age of southern rock. A few might be a bit more bluesy, but still have good examples if you investigate.
Allman Brothers
Lynyrd Skynyrd (before the plane crash)
Charlie Daniels Band
Marshal Tucker Band
Elvin Bishop
Wet Willie
Atlanta Rythum Section
The Outlaws
Molly Hatchet
38 Special
Ozark Mountain Devils
Black Oak Arkansas |
Gram Parsons is the gold standard, his stuff with and without the Byrds is classic. Also classi are the albums by Uncle Tupelo, particularly No Depression. There are many other great performers, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch, the Waifs, early Wilco, Dave Alvin, Rodney Crowell, the Dead, and that list merely scratches the surface. Picking up the Rhino release Gram Parsons Anthology, a super two disc set. Go on from there and have fun, and happy listening! |
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lucinda williams - essence
lucinda williams - world without tears
mary chapin carpenter
gram parsons
sticky fingers stones
chet atkins
acoustic neil young
gram
early eagles |
John Wesley Harding. 1967! Since then, even aside from Nashville Skyline, Dylan's done a lot of country rock. Hard to call him a pioneer, though, 'cause noone can really follow him. |
Emmy Lou Harris
Trio (Harris, Ronstadt and Parton)
Amazin' Rythym Aces
Chris Issak -more Rockabilly, but great
Grateful Dead American Beauty and Working Man's Dead
The Band
Mark Knopfler
Mark Cohen
Its late, I'll add more tomorrow. |
Why not get the record that started it all...... Sweetheart of the Rodeo by the Byrds. Early Hoyt Axton, Jerry Jeff Walkers first few records are really good. Now you have Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keene, Townes Van Zandt (RIP), Guy Clark, Lucinda Williams, etc.
Chris |
It's hard to categorize "country/rock". Some of those mentioned would more accurately be described as "folk/rock". Either way it's my favorite genre of music. Dave Alvin comes to mind immediately since I just saw his acoustic show. Not many people can claim the pedigree of the Blasters, X, Knitters, and his solo stuff. Even won a Grammy for Public Domain. Robert Earl Keen, the Byrds, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, The Band, Lowell George and Little Feat, and new stuff like the Duhks and Waifs (foreign versions of American folk/country). It's nice to see Gram Parsons and Townes Van Zandt get some play lately and a couple of movies/documentaries about them. Now that you brought it up I'm going to dig out the Poco, Pure Prairie League, and New Riders records. |
Geez Walter! How can you mention Gram and not EmmyLou??? I'd toss Buffalo Springfield into your fine collection too... and Johnny Cash's - The Man Comes Around. |
Look for anything with Gram Parsons, from the Parsons-era Byrds to the Parsons-era Flying Burrito Brothers (especially the classic "Gilded Palace of Sin") and then to his solo records (especially "Grievous Angel"). For something a bit more modern, check out the Jayhawks' "Blue Earth," "Hollywood Town Hall," or "Rainy Day Music." For something a bit obscure, but still great, try the Silos' "Cuba" or self-titled records. A few more names, off the top of my head: Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, Kasey Chambers, Neko Case, and maybe the greatest country-rock album of them all, Lucinda Williams' "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road." |
Willie Nelson -- Teatro
Just wanted to add one so I can check the thread easier for other input. Good idea for a thread BTW. |
