Country Rock Music Guide: 4 Notable Country Rock Artists

Country rock is a style of music that fuses traditional country music with rock 'n' roll. While country rock bears close resemblance to some folk rock and rockabilly, it is considered a genre unto itself.

The country rock genre largely bloomed in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s thanks to artists like Ricky Nelson, Buffalo Springfield, the Eagles, the Byrds, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Nashville—the home of traditional country music—also played a role thanks to the likes of Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. And while country rock began as an American music genre, even English acts like the Rolling Stones and Elvis Costello incorporated a dose of country music into their respective sounds.

In a short period of time, country rock went from a niche genre to a leading style on American FM radio.

• Rock bands covering country songs: In the 1960s, a number of pop rock bands dipped their toes into country covers. They included the Beatles (who covered Buck Owens' "Act Naturally") and the Byrds (who covered Porter Wagoner's "Satisfied Mind").
• The California folk scene embraces country: In late-1960s California—particularly Los Angeles and its surroundings—folk rock bands turned an affectionate eye toward more overt country music. These artists included Gram Parsons, Buffalo Springfield, Poco, Ricky Nelson, and even Bob Dylan. In northern California, the Grateful Dead and Creedence Clearwater Revival offered their own embrace of country sounds.
• Major growth in the 1970s: As the 1960s gave way to the 1970s, country rock began to surge in popularity. Acts like the Eagles, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt, Gene Clark, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Michael Nesmith, Loggins & Messina, and the Doobie Brothers all found ways to inject country stylings into rock music.
• Non-California bands: In the 1970s many non-California artists found their way to country rock. Some hailed from Nashville, like Emmylou Harris and Johnny Cash, while others came from other areas in the Eastern half of the US, including the Allman Brothers Band (formed in Florida) and Pure Prairie League (formed in Ohio).
• Expanding into additional subgenres: While the country rock genre is mostly associated with the 1960s and 1970s, it did give way to many other styles. These include southern rock (exemplified by groups like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet) and alternative country (associated with artists like Steve Earle and Uncle Tupelo).

True to its name, country rock music combines traditional country music and rock 'n' roll. From its earliest days, rock 'n' roll has borrowed many harmonic, melodic, and lyrical concepts from country music, but the country rock genre tends to refer to a specific style and era of music.

1. 1. Primarily from the 1960s and 1970s: The country rock scene took off in the late 1960s and endured through the 1970s.
2. 2. Based in California and Tennessee: Most of the biggest country rock bands revolved around Los Angeles, an epicenter of rock music, and Nashville, the home base for many country artists.
3. 3. Various country influences: Country rock bands draw inspiration from folk, bluegrass, rockabilly, and country blues.
4. 4. Rock instrumentation plus choice country instruments: Country rock musicians play instruments like acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric bass, drum set, pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar, banjo, and mandolin.
5. 5. Elements of Americana: Some country rock songs deal with standard lyrical subjects like love and longing. Others deal with distinctly American themes and pastoral imagery. This applies to the work of American country rockers like the Flying Burrito Brothers as well as those from other countries like the Band (American-based, but 80 percent Canadian membership) and the Rolling Stones (from the UK).

Country rock music has produced some of the most iconic popular musicians of the 1960s and 1970s.

1. 1. Gram Parsons (1946–1973): Gram Parsons found his voice as a guitarist and country singer in Southern California. He was a member of the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers and made essential contributions in shaping the sound of California country rock.
2. 2. Emmylou Harris (1947–present): Harris is in many ways a quintessential country singer thanks to her strong, twang-infused voice. Yet her signature sound includes many classic elements of rock music including reverb-drenched electric guitars. One of her biggest hits, "Wrecking Ball," was penned by fellow country rocker Neil Young.
3. 3. Neil Young (1945–present): Neil Young has been a member of Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, but he is most famous as a solo artist. His country rock hits include "Heart of Gold," "The Needle and the Damage Done," and "Comes a Time." On a typical Neil Young record, these countrified songs alternate with feedback-drenched, hard rock numbers.
4. 4. Charlie Daniels (1936–2020): By the late 1970s, the country rock scene had shifted toward Nashville where musicians like Charlie Daniels injected it with bluegrass influences. This can be heard most clearly on Daniels' longstanding classic, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."

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