Country Folk Rock
tagStarted 1968Peak 1969-1976Last big hit still active
Located in 2 routes
Folk rock leaning hard into country: pedal steel and twangy Telecaster glides under acoustic strum, high lonesome harmonies, gentle shuffles, and rural, plainspoken lyrics. Softer and more pastoral than honky-tonk country, it keeps folk's narrative intimacy while borrowing Nashville textures and a relaxed, sun-warmed groove.
History
Grew at the close of the 1960s as folk-rock writers embraced country instrumentation, spurred by Dylan's 'Nashville Skyline' and The Byrds' 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo.' Gram Parsons and the Laurel Canyon set blurred folk and country; the sound seeded the mellow 70s and remains a touchstone for rootsy, harmony-rich rock songwriting.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_rock
- https://www.allmusic.com/style/country-rock-ma0000002616
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweetheart_of_the_Rodeo