Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST,Guest - ex yank now an Ozzie
Date: 03 Jul 15 - 10:26 PM

saw them late in '65 in Carson City Nev but became big part of the S.F
scene The Charlatans with Dan Hicks ... they were hot ... if you look them up on You Tube you better put in '1960s' because there's a newer mob using the name ...

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 03 Jul 15 - 09:49 AM

Just discovered Goose Creek Symphony and Rich Mountain Tower. Country rock from the early 70s. Both pretty good...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_qBqmkSQn1Y

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=u2xH_TrhTGY

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: pdq
Date: 08 Jan 13 - 03:12 PM

Albert Lee is on five of Emmylou Harris's records from 1977-85, but not all.

He is considered one of the Country Music guitarists of alltime, not just Country Rock and Rock.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: PoppaGator
Date: 08 Jan 13 - 01:12 PM

Can't believe that no one has mentioned the very wonderful ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL.

***********

My recollection of the New Riders vis-a-vis the Grateful Dead ~ from 1970-72 ~ is different from how someone described it above. NRPS would OPEN the show with Jerry Garcia on pedal steel and John "Marmaduke" Dawson on vocals. Songs were pretty much straight-ahead country throughout all the sung parts, with Jerry laying down fairly orthodox steel-guitar background licks, but of course the instrumental breaks would sometimes move in the direction of outer space.

The Riders would leave the stage and after a short intermission, Jerry would return with his regular six-string electric and his Grateful Dead bandmates for another couple hours of music. He really worked some long hours back then.

I suppose the other arrangement described above, with the New Riders personnel coming on stage mid-gig while all the Dead members except Jerry took a break, would have been the earlier routine, before NPRS developed enough repertoire for "opening-band" status...but that's just my guess.

Also, on the subject of Grateful-Dead related "country-rock" projects, let's not forget OLD AND IN THE WAY. Probably not "country-rock," but straight bluegrass. And of course, the Dead themselves featured plenty quite a few country-music songs, some in a more straightforward manner than others, but they can hardly be categorized as a "country-rock band."

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 08 Jan 13 - 12:57 PM

There were some monster talents on the English scene though - Kelvin Henderson's band didn't have a single ordinary musician in the line up. I was in awe of them.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 08 Jan 13 - 12:00 PM

Big Al writes;

'I suppose you cite famous people - I think Mark Knopfler was the first person in England to really master country rock guitar and write massive hits.'

What about Albert Lee? Not sure of the chronology but he is a great
player and wrote Country Boy which was a big hit for Ricky Scaggs in the states.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Stewie
Date: 07 Jan 13 - 10:22 PM

I don't think any mention has been made of the great Terry Allen. 'Lubbock on Everything' was a 70s double LP, and a gem. Reissued on CD in 1995:

Lubbock on Everything.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: pdq
Date: 07 Jan 13 - 08:43 PM

Like Paul Siebel, Jerry Jeff Walker is from Upstate New York.

In June of 1968 (there's that year again) Walker recorded two songs for a 45 rpm "single" record, one side being "Mr. Bojangles".

Some success led to a more elegant version "Mr. Bojangles" with David Bromberg, who was not one the first recording (AM hit). Also led to a complete LP record.

Walker said that he did the best Country record that he could at that time. That is what he was trying to do.

Paul Siebel would probably say the same thing. He has always been a huge fan of Hank Williams and one can assume that "Woodsmoke & Oranges" was intended to be a Country record.

There was no Rock in 1962, no Folk Rock in 1964 and no Country Rock in 1968. Names have to catch up with "what's happening".

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: PHJim
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 11:27 PM

I would think Paul Siebel's 1970 album Woodsmoke & Oranges would qualify.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Janie
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 10:16 PM

Thanks for reminding me of Mark Knopfler, Al. Talk about fusion!

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Janie
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 09:53 PM

Actually, Gern, all the above have been at least mentioned, but I well know that it is easy to miss stuff when a thread goes beyond 30 or more posts.

Always especially glad to encounter another Amazing Rhythm Aces fan.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: michaelr
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 09:53 PM

Well, Guest Gern, if you actually read the thread, you'll be "azazed" to find all those artists mentioned.

Bobert, the founders of Mason Proffitt were brothers John and Terry Talbot. After the demise of the band they released a duo record, The Talbot Bros. (Warner, 1974) which is an absolute gem of the genre. John Michael Talbot is now a preacher in, I believe, Southern California.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Bobert
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 09:50 PM

Heck, yeah, he does...

B~

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST,Gern
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 09:29 PM

I'm azazed to quickly find mention on this thread of Eggs Over Easy but nothing of favorites like Poco or the Amazing Rhythm Aces. How about Commander Cody? Does Gene Clark count in this category?

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 08:15 PM

In England we had some amazing country rock bands.

I suppose you cite famous people - I think Mark Knopfler was the first person in England to really master country rock guitar and write massive hits.

But there was also a strong domestic country scene in the 1970's and early 80's. Thatcher finished it off when she closed the mines and the miners welfares where they all did gigs.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: pdq
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 06:00 PM

Just because groups fall into different categories doesn't mean they incompatible.

I just noticed that a concert in Englishtown, NJ 3 SEP 1977 billed the Marshall Tucker Band, the Grateful Dead and the New Riders of the Purple Sage at one show.

It dew over 125,000 people, the biggest music event of the year.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 03:30 PM

Yep, never saw them until about 71 or so, when I think they may have opened for Jefferson Airplane with Cage on steel. I did see them recently, well....about three years ago...and it was mainly extended jamming stuff. It appeared to be what the twenty-somethings in the crowd wanted to hear, but I was a bit disappointed. The original members left were, I think, Torbert, Nelson, and Cage.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Bobert
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 03:26 PM

BTW, seein' as Mason-Proffitt was brought up earlier, while I never thought of them in the same light as Flying Burrito Brothers or Poco, I did enjoy their sound... I believe their were two Talbott (sp-?) brothers in the original band and, if I am not mistaken, one went on to write and perform "Faith" music...

(I have got to get to my LP collection...)

B~

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: pdq
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 02:29 PM

You must not realize what they sounded like in 1969 before they recorded their first album.

Jerry made weird spaced-out sounds come out of the pedal steel and there were extended jams. The record company was liberal, but not stupid. Hence, the commercial nature of their first record.

BTW, they didn't really open for the Dead in the early days. The Dead mutated into NRPS by having Pigpen, Kreutzmann and Weir leave the stage, being replace by John Dawson and David Nelson. Jerry moved to pedal steel.

The did not become a stand-alone unit until later.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 02:15 PM

well, PD, the very first release with Garcia on steel would fit all of my parameters for country rock. No extended noodling, mainly three minute tunes, and not much evidence of the jam band tendencies that may have come to the fore in the days they opened for the Dead.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: pdq
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 02:09 PM

Without getting into a detailed discussion about New Riders of the Purple Sage, suffice it to say that they evolved over the years.

The first live gigs were spaced-out psych. Their later stuff, especially "Who Are Those Guys?", was well-produced Country Rock, and other records were still different. Buddy Cage gave them a very "heavy" sound at first.

I was luckey nough to buy a copy of "Midnight Moonlight" by NRPS, done in the mid 1980. It's no-BS John Dawson with a more acoustic backing led by one Rusty Gautier. Almost bluegrass. Has my favorite version of "Glendale Train".

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 01:44 PM

New Riders of the Purple Sage would certainly qualify as a Northern Cal country rock outfit. The first few albums were primarily short John Dawson-penned songs that had both country and rock themes and instrumentation.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: pdq
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 01:24 PM

Sorry folks, I'm just trying to keep this going.

It seems to be a discussion of "what qualifies as Country Rock", rather than "which Country Rock groups do you like".

To keep that thought, can anyone name a group from northern California that qualifies?

Does "Eggs Over Easy" fit the bill, and if so, do British groups that took their lead also qualify?

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 01:06 PM

So, back to pdq's question, would you rather be referred to as a fine singer-songwriter, a journalist, or a bloke who died last November?

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST, Paul Slade
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 12:56 PM

A quick Google search reveals that my other alter-egos include a boutique owner, a DJ and a bloke who died last November. I blame the multiverse...

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 12:52 PM

???

I thought Paul Slade was a journalist

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: pdq
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 12:23 PM

I don't know whether Paul Slade would prefer to be known as a fine singer-songwriter or as a British rocker. Either way, it's nice to have someone of his stature contribute to the daily tusssel at Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Acorn4
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 10:23 AM

From the UK, Brinsley Schwarz, featuring a very young Nick Lowe.

Brinsley Schwarz live

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST,Dave Illingworth
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 08:57 AM

Thia could run and run. I like most of the bands mentioned, but still rate that Joe Ely Band with Lloyd Maines, Ponty Bone and Jesse Taylor as one of the best (and the album "Live Shots" shows why I am sad I never witnessed this paricular line-up).   I have kept in touch with Ely's later (and fine) work and am a Flatlanders fan. But I would not class them as country-rock --    the acoustic sound is wonderful, but not rock. File under "Americana".
No-one has mentioned the wonderful Gary Stewart, who sadly killed himeself some years ago. Although basically an updated honk-tonk singer (with occasional brushes with bluegrass), he could really rock.
Check out his version of Rodney Crowell's "Ain't Living Long Like This" on his "Your Place Or Mine" album (with Mac Gayden on slide-guitar).   Not anywhere near as good an album, "Cactus And A Rose" came out in 1980 (but was possibly recorded in 1979). But it did include Gregg Alman, Dickey Betts and similar as backing musicians.
Stewart could sing 50s rock'n'roll (as could Ely) and that is always
a bonus for me in the country-rock stakes. Which reminds me, doesn't
The Band also qualify ?

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST, Paul Slade
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 04:06 AM

I remember Eggs Over Easy from the pub rock days, but I never saw them live at the time.

I did see Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers, though, headlining at Hove Town Hall in August 1974, when Ian Dury's Kilburn & The High Roads were supporting them.

The Willis' front man Philip Lithman later became "Snakefinger" Lithman and joined US cult band The Residents. They (CW&TRHPs) were managed by Jake Rivera, soon to become the founder of Stiff Records, and had The Monkees' Mike Nesmith as a producer for some sessions. Pete Thomas, the Willis' drummer, went on to join Elvis Costello's band The Attractions.   

Wikipedia has more info on this excellent little band. To hear them play Desert Island Woman click this YouTube link.

Incidentally, Ian Dury once remarked that, if everyone who later claimed to have seen Kilburn & The High Roads live had really done so, they's have had to be playing the Royal Albert Hall every night instead of a string of tiny pubs. Believe me, though, if I was making up my own claim to have seen them, I'd also make up a far hipper venue than Hove Town Hall.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 13 - 06:23 PM

Much appreciated, pdq.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: pdq
Date: 01 Jan 13 - 06:10 PM

Hello GUEST, Paul Slade...

Have you heard of the group Eggs Over Easy?

I have seen where people credit them as the first British pop rockers/country, er, whatever you want to call 'em.

Austin DeLone was from LA and had connections with the seminal Country Rock groups.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST, Paul Slade
Date: 01 Jan 13 - 05:59 PM

Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers. Anyone else have fond memories of South London's premier pub-rock western swing band?

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Bobert
Date: 01 Jan 13 - 05:49 PM

Yeah, Emmy Lou is definitely part of this genre... I mean, anyone who cut his or her teeth with Gram Parsons had to have *that sound*... Might of fact, she's still doing 70s country rock...

B~

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Pete Jennings
Date: 01 Jan 13 - 01:12 PM

Emmy Lou always gets my vote!

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: voyager
Date: 01 Jan 13 - 12:58 PM

One vote for Emmy Lou Harris's
Hot Band
voyager

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST,DDT
Date: 01 Jan 13 - 12:24 PM

You sure?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvsDmGk4rhI

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: pdq
Date: 01 Jan 13 - 11:44 AM

"Wabash Cannonball" seems to be on a Charlatan archival CD from 2004 called "San Farancisco, 1969".

Label: Acadia ACA 8067

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 13 - 12:14 AM

By the by, anyone know where one might get a copy of "Wabash Cannonball" by the Charlatans (who later metamorphosed into Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks)? Really nice cover of the tune, the best IMO.

Thanks in advance.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Bobert
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 10:33 PM

No...

B~

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST,DDT
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 10:30 PM

Seals & Crofts?

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Stewie
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 07:59 PM

I don't think Steve Young has been mentioned.

Joe Ely's non-Flatlander albums were also great, particularly 'Live Shots'.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Bobert
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 05:47 PM

pdq and I may not agree on politics but we're on the same page when it comes to music... Yeah, there's a major difference between the Byrds kinda country rock and Waylon Jennings kind or Charlie Daniels... Those of us who were influenced by the 70's country rock movement pretty much are on the same page on who is and who doesn't make the list...

I mean, "labels" aren't a bad thing if it allows us to better discuss certain styles of music without dragging in other bands that folks happen to like...

I mean, I'm not trying to sound like a snob... Just trying to get some good discussions about a special genre of our musical past...

B~

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 05:43 PM

That's true pdq. And for purposes of discussion it pays to have some guidelines. A discussion that includes Gene Parsons and Richie Furay under the heading of country rock should probably preclude Jim Morrison, Nat King Cole, and Beethoven. I think we could get Pete Seeger in there within 3 degrees of separation, though.

And Janie, I'm not sure at all that I know more about American music history than you do, from what I have seen andheard from you!

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: pdq
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 02:56 PM

Touble is, when you let a category get to big and amorphous, it becomes meaningless.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Janie
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 02:40 PM

was responding to your prior post, LEJ, not your most recent post.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Janie
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 02:39 PM

I don't disagree, LEJ, but, being an east coast hillbilly, that more pared down Bakersfield sound to which you refer also reflects more of the "western" roots of what came to be called Country & Western. At least that is my visceral take on it. You, PDQ and just about anyone else posting to this thread know a lot more about music in general and the history of North American music than do I.

I just likes it. I don't study it.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 02:30 PM

Larry, the topic is a springboard for conversation on music. I'm not too hung up on what slots to put it in, or in how to define the slots.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: Janie
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 01:51 PM

No argument, LS. Just discussion. For me, threads like this are educational and thought stimulating.

Subject: RE: Favorite 70s Country-rock Bands???
From: GUEST,Larry Saidman
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 01:43 PM

I'm bemused by all the arguing about categories....country rock vs. southern rock vs. Texas country, etc. Yet, amidst all the arguing, nobody has mentioned what the criteria is for what catgory? What distinguishes one category of music from another. What specifically is the criteria for a song to be called "country rock"?   It all seems pretty arbitrary to me.


Is it important?   Probably not. Although it obviously is for pdq and others.