The Difference Between Country Rock and Southern Rock?

Blackfoot vs. The Charlie Daniels Band

 

I think the biggest differences are chonology and geography.
"Country Rock" was mostly a west coast thing that occurred from the mid 60s through the mid 70s.
"Southern Rock" was mostly southeastern and occurred on the tail end or the rock era, from around 1974 thru 80.
I don't even remember the Alman Brothers being called southern rock until the mid seventies. Before Barry Oakley died I remember them being called a blues band.

 

Bachman Turner Overdrive?

 

Yeah, the pedal steel is very prominent on this one, for example, by the late great George McCorkle:



Not only is the solo great, but the steel also adds fantastic color throughout.

 

Any musician who is self taught, and becomes so impressive at their chosen instrument, has always impressed the hell out of me ! With the exception of the Classically trained Billy Powell, the original Skynyrd lineup was all self taught. Sure, some of them had informal lessons here and there, but it was they, themselves that sat alone for hours on end, getting it down.

 

Interesting thread. Where would you classify The Amazing Rhythm Aces, or the underappreciated Earl Scruggs Revue?

 

Down here, and back then, that was just Dad playing with his sons, not unlike Papa Don, The Yodeling King, being onstage with his sons, Dennis and Donnie Winters. Country ? Bluegrass ? How about just very good ?

 

I actually know very little about The Charlie Daniels Band and The Marshall Tucker Band but I had my suspicions one or both Might at times have had some pedal steel, hence why I also said "Rarely used". I of course knew of Charlie and his fiddle. Maybe these two bands in particular are a genre onto themselves being neither quite Country-Rock or Southern-Rock? Wonder what they should be called?

 

It's all highly opinionated Greg Allman as one of the founding fathers hates the moniker and calls in redundant just as Led Zep won't have anything to do with the word metal even though they inspired countless metal bands. You could say Southern Rock has less to do with pop but then where do you put .38 Special just because they are NOT Your favorite Southern Rock Band it would be hard to deny that they had one foot firmly planted on the throat of pop music in the 80's

 

Damn fine musicians. Done.

 

I'd Second that!!!!

 

Southern rock includes a little R&B vibe, and most of the best country rock acts were from California.

 

I LOVE Both but if I'm gonna be stranded on a Desert Island there's no denying the Depth of the Charlie Daniels Band Catalog just stellar musicianship I gotta go CDB for the Win

 

Too many factors to pin this answer down....so many bands dipped their toes in all genres.....melting pot really..

 

That's because The Allman Bros. was a blues band and more.
The two drummer, multiple guitars, keyboards was emulated by a sh!tload of bands.
Doesn't make'em The Allman Bros. and never will.

 

I find that this is true of so many labels thrown around here in different threads.

 

Yes, though much of it is filtered through Cream.

 

<<< Ronnie, Allen, & Gary's favorite band !!!

 

They're Southern Rock. Hell, Charlie even wrote a song about name checking the prominent Southern Rock bands. The one he left out was The Atlanta Rhythm Section. When asked he commented that they name was too long to fit it in! What Charlie does now would probably be considered "country", but that's because "country" has become a lot more electric guitar based that it was in the pre Garth Brooks days.

ARS and Marshal Tucker were more jazzy than the other Southern bands. In fact, a guy I used to ride with plays in a jazz group with Paul Riddle and played bass with Marshal Tucker for much of the 90s.

 

And I seem to remember Duane even being in a little band with Clapton, at least for a while...

 

Gram Parsons never liked the term Country Rock. He coined Cosmic American Music because it included R&B, Country, Blue Grass and Rock.

 

Country rock is bad country music.
Southern rock is bad rock music.

 

I think the line can be a bit blurred sometimes. Some bands might be a little bit of both. I personally define southern rock as having more of a harder guitar edge than country rock but that's just me.

For instance, Blackberry Smoke is a new "southern rock" band that I like a lot but some of their stuff does sound a bit countrified. The vocals especially have a country twang to them. They might be classified as "country rock" by some people (?).

You be the judge:

Shakin' Hands With the Holy Ghost


Six Ways to Sunday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAjXJDFqsoU

Sleeping Dogs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc__d_YhcUk

Freedom Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcR0vHuw0vw

 

I'm a bigger fan of Southern Rock than I am Country Rock.

That's my difference and the only one that matters to me.

 

I'm gonna say that Southern Rock has more Jack Daniels drinking, trike riding yahoos and Country Rock has more bitter, jilted lovers on the verge of breakdown.