Roots Rock
tagStarted 1967Peak 1968–1985Last big hit 1989
Roots rock strips rock back toward its source materials—country, blues, folk, gospel, rockabilly—and favors straightforward grooves, uncluttered arrangements, and song forms that feel older than the studio they were recorded in. Country influence is often structural rather than explicit.
History
Roots rock emerged partly as a reaction against late-1960s excess, returning to tighter songwriting and foundational American styles. The Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tom Petty, John Hiatt, Delbert McClinton, and others built a huge bridge from rock toward country-oriented roots music and later Americana.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Britannica
- roots-rock histories
- country-rock histories
- Rock Hall Library