Country Rock
tagStarted 1966Peak 1968–1975Last big hit still active
Country rock mixes traditional country melody, pedal steel or acoustic strum, and country songwriting idiom with full rock-band rhythm, electric guitar drive, and album-era production. It is sunnier and more urbane than honky-tonk, but more twang-conscious than ordinary rock.
History
The style crystallized in Los Angeles when rock musicians turned seriously toward country forms and country musicians absorbed rock dynamics. The Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Gram Parsons, Poco, Eagles, and Linda Ronstadt were foundational, and the style later fed roots rock, heartland rock, alt-country, and mainstream country-rock.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Britannica
- PBS Country Music
- Rock Hall Library
- country-rock histories