Country rock recommendations

[JSngry]

fwiw:

 

[GregK]

Blue Rodeo (from Canada)

Ryan Adams- his 90s band Whiskeytown, and his albums Heartbreaker, Cold Roses and Jacksonville City Nights.

[Jim Duckworth]

I too really like the Jayhawks particularly Tomorrow the Green Grass.

A record I've been listening to forever and still love is Pure Prairie League's first album:

[felser]

2 hours ago, mjzee said:

OK, one more:

 

Love it!  Stuart's insights, memories, and stories were my favorite aspect of the Ken Burns Country Music series.  I'm not a Country Music fan, but I am fascinated by U.S. History, and that music and culture is an aspect of it.  Married to a country star 17 years older than he is (Connie Smith), and started with Lester Flatt as a teenager.  Great to hear him doing a nuggets classic, thanks!

[clifford_thornton]

22 hours ago, unitstructures said:

If you like the Dead, try this

Great album indeed!

also, good call on the First National Band.

I should try PPL again.

[Rooster_Ties]

19 hours ago, felser said:

Love it!  Stuart's insights, memories, and stories were my favorite aspect of the Ken Burns Country Music series.  I'm not a Country Music fan, but I am fascinated by U.S. History, and that music and culture is an aspect of it.  Married to a country star 17 years older than he is (Connie Smith), and started with Lester Flatt as a teenager.  Great to hear him doing a nuggets classic, thanks!

Total agreement on all counts. I barely knew or know anything about country music (my wife either), but we both watched the Burns doc — like you said, because of our love of history, and general positivity about  ‘Americana’ (and most things that can entail) — …and Stuart's remarks were among the very best of the entire series.

[Ken Dryden]

On 8/1/2023 at 11:04 PM, HutchFan said:

I suppose Gram Parsons' music might be called country-rock. (He called it "Cosmic American music.")  His two solo albums, GP and Grievous Angel, are essential listening, imo. I also love his work with the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and the International Submarine Band.

That said, Parsons' music comes down more on the country side than the rock side.  Based on your description above, it might be too much country.  Give it a whirl and see what you think.

 

"That's be cash on the barrelhead, son!"

I took my wife to a country concert recently and it had all the bad elements of a rock concert, too much volume, distorted lyrics, monotonous songs. It was a miserable experience and I didn't make it through the headliner's set.

I still listen to solo albums by Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons, the Flying Burrito Bros. (before they disbanded the first time), and some others. I never did get into the Eagles.

[Rooster_Ties]

On 8/2/2023 at 11:02 AM, Rooster_Ties said:

We’ve got tickets to see The Jayhawks for the very first time — here in DC, in September — and she’s planning to wear a KU Jayhawk t-shirt when we go!

Heard the Jayhawks last night here in DC (Alexandria, VA) in a basic, old-school sort of dinner club (which makes it sound ‘nicer’ than it was, but it was table seating in a good-size room, with very decent if not at all fancy food) — and it was a lovely night.

We’d go back and hear them again in a year or two, for sure. Good stuff! 

Our first time ever hearing them live, by the way, though my wife’s been a fan for 35 years.

[jlhoots]

The Highwomen, Eilen Jewell, Brandy Clark, Margo Price 

[Brad]

New Riders of the Purple Sage.

 

[HutchFan]

I'm just now listening to music by Joe Ely, and it occurred to me that his music might be called country rock. Or maybe Roots Rock with a healthy dollop of country.

I've only discovered his music in the last few years, but I've enjoyed everything I've heard so far -- particularly his early solo stuff from the late-70s & early-80s.

Ely is from Amarillo, and -- along with Jimmy Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock -- he was a founding member of The Flatlanders. He definitely came out of the Texas "progressive country" scene that blended country, folk, and rock in interesting ways.

Anyhow. Ely's well worth a listen, IMO.

Edited September 29, 2023 by HutchFan

[Aggie87]

3 hours ago, HutchFan said:

I'm just now listening to music by Joe Ely, and it occurred to me that his music might be called country rock. Or maybe Roots Rock with a healthy dollop of country.

I've only discovered his music in the last few years, but I've enjoyed everything I've heard so far -- particularly his early solo stuff from the late-70s & early-80s.

Ely is from Amarillo, and -- along with Jimmy Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock -- he was a founding member of The Flatlanders. He definitely came out of the Texas "progressive country" scene that blended country, folk, and rock in interesting ways.

Anyhow. Ely's well worth a listen, IMO.

Ely's a favorite of mine, have seen him solo, with the Flatlanders, and in various combinations.  And with Terry Allen, who is also an amazing Texas alt-country musician.  

I've never thought of any of them as "country rock", but they are great at what they do.  I guess that label can work though, but Ely is more than just that to me.

And Ely, Butch & Jimmy are all from Lubbock (also Buddy Holly's home town), not Amarillo.

Edited September 29, 2023 by Aggie87

[HutchFan]

33 minutes ago, Aggie87 said:

Ely's a favorite of mine, have seen him solo, with the Flatlanders, and in various combinations.  And with Terry Allen, who is also an amazing Texas alt-country musician.  

I've never thought of any of them as "country rock", but they are great at what they do.  I guess that label can work though, but Ely is more than just that to me.

And Ely, Butch & Jimmy are all from Lubbock (also Buddy Holly's home town), not Amarillo.

Ooops.  My bad.  I knew that the Flatlanders all hooked up in Lubbock.  Didn't realize that Ely was born there too.

In any case, Ely's a terrific musician.  I love how you can hear a HUGE range of influences in his music -- from Jimmy Rodgers to Jerry Lee Lewis, Gram Parsons to The Clash.  That takes big ears and a big musical imagination.

As for the term "Country-Rock," I hear you.  He doesn't sound like Pure Prairie League or the Marshall Tucker Band.  OTOH, Ely's music obviously does have very deep roots in both rock and country.  That's why I brought him up here. 

Does that make sense to you?

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by HutchFan

[jlhoots]

Amanda Shires, Brandi Carlile