The Band, Little Feat,Los Lobos- The best americana bands ever

Can we add The Byrds?

And if we're doing individual artists like John Hiatt, we can add singers like Emmylou Harris. But the distinction of Americana groups is an interesting one.

 

One could add Alison Krauss and Union Station to this list as well.

 

I think it's pretty good. IMO it's worth picking up. Not too expensive.

 

If we can't, I'm leaving. The Byrds and the Grateful Dead are the two bands that always flash into my mind when I hear (or read) the word 'Americana'.

 

One could add whatever they want as long as it is a band according to my op. It s always difficult labeling groups in categories and Americana is a difficult category. However - the Byrds made at least some music that defitively would fit within it. Most of todays Americanaband probably have a version of Sweetheart at the rodeo under their pillow

 

From a 1975 Rolling Stone interview:

"Little Feat is my favorite American group" - Jimmy Page

You can't argue with that.

 

When I came to think about it- theAmazing rythm aces for sure was an americana band. Maybe a bit forgotten now but in my book one if the absolutely best. Their seventies albuns are nothing but magic effortlessly mixing soul, country, blues , rock, jazz and some latinstuff.

 

From a 1975 National Lampoon interview:

"I can't stand Led Zeppelin" -- Lowell George

Arnie

 

The three bands mentioned by the OP were a huge influence on the genre we now call Americana, i would also add CCR and John Mellencamp to that list, the latter with his late 80s trio of albums ''Scarecrow, The Lonesome Jubilee, Big Daddy''. Some have said that the ''popularity'' of the genre owes a lot to the sound and success of those records, which is probably why he received the Americana lifetime achievement award a couple of years ago.

There are a number of current artists/bands that in their relatively short careers deserve to be considered among the very best.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD3dmnRXIuo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJMZ1bi5g8c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxiZPYFItyc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYderZBGVWg

 

Wet Willie. Back in the 70's we used to say they're the band Little Feat wanted to be. And thats no hit against Little Feat - I love 'em both. Wet Willie was 100% raised and grown in down south, old school rock & roll/gospel/blues/country - all in one.

 

Another one I forgot- Neville Brothers brand of Americana should not be forgotten. Listen to Yellow moon for proof

 

My Morning Jacket
Calexico

 

You can't talk about Americana with Bob Dylan. The cornerstone of modern American Music.

 

Hands down, the Band. What they accomplished with their first two albums and the Basement Tapes alone puts them at the top. Live at the Academy 1971 and the other excellent work they've done is gravy.

I think Little Feat and Los Lobos are very good, and they both have two really, really good albums that I like, but I don't think they've ever reached the lofty peaks of the Band at its best.

 

They could give the Band a run for its money. Willy and Green River are tremendous, ridiculous they were done so quickly in succession. Cosmo's Factory and maybe Bayou Country are up there too.

 

The Jayhawks.

 

Can't argue about The Band, Los Lobos and Little. Feat. I've got a special place in my heart for the Feat, one of thefcirst bands that I personally listened to that used complex rhythms in a rock/blues context - not to mention Lowell George's great slide. If you want compare WFC with other live stuff, head over to archive.org

 

Waiting For Columbus is right up there with Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends
and Live At Leeds for--IMO--the best live albums of that era, for it has content and performance like
few others...

 

I love Little Feat, The Band and Los Lobos. Three of my favorite bands. And let's not forget Doug Sahm solo and the Sir Douglas Quintet. Also Americana at its finest

 

That should read WITHOUT Bob Dylan. Imo the importance of the Basement Tapes to roots music or Americana is without equal. Beautiful and bold and a connection to our past.

 

Well, as long as we're still tossing out names, let's not overlook Ryan Adams.

And if someone else already mentioned him (and the Cardinals), then I overlooked that mention!

JcS

 

I would not take it that far but that statement is in the ballpark. The term Americana is silly in my opinion. A marketing gag for the masses. Did Bloodshot Records or some such hang this tag on it's stable to move product in the mid/ late 90's? I saw all three of the bands in the title thread and never thought "Americana", American yes and left it there. If we are talking pastoral America as a narrative then Elton & Bernie's " Tumbleweed Connection" would be one of this NEW genre's great works. Did Emmylou or Rodney Crowell call there music "Americana" not at the time, no way. Off Soapbox! As for Wet Willie I never thought about them as Feat's big brother yet to these ears live and on there better lp's they are on the same field. All that said I never really got Los Lobos after the first record (my wife loves them). First saw them open for electric Hot Tuna in '83 and they smoked after that all the times I have seen them left me flat. This is my thing and absolutly no bang on those cats from L.A.

 

Bob Dylan invented Americana in 67 the Band picked up the ball from there and passed to Little Feat and Los Lobos, probably the greatest post Bob Americana bands, along with the Dead.

 

Bob Dylan is the greatest post tin pan alley American songwriter.. but the greatest Americana band has to be the Grateful Dead... Let's remember Bob Dylan's words on Jerry Garcia's passing because I think there remains nothing left to be said after reading this...close down the thread:

“There's no way to measure his greatness or magnitude as a person or as a player. I don't think any eulogizing will do him justice. He was that great, much more than a superb musician, with an uncanny ear and dexterity. He's the very spirit personified of whatever is Muddy River country at its core and screams up into the spheres. He really had no equal. To me he wasn't only a musician and friend, he was more like a big brother who taught and showed me more than he'll ever know. There's a lot of spaces and advances between The Carter Family, Buddy Holly and, say, Ornette Coleman—a lot of universes, but he filled them all without being a member of any school. His playing was moody, awesome, sophisticated, hypnotic and subtle. There's no way to convey the loss. It just digs down really deep.”

 

Have to have Doug Sahm (and whatever incarnation of SDQ/Texas Tornados) on this list. There'd be no Lobos without him.