get ready for some bluesy licks greasy
riffs and a whole lot of southern pride
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
southern rock bands
for this list will be ranking the most
popular and influential bands from the
southern rock genre in other words we’ll
be taking a look at groups who
originated in the southern United States
and who are often looked to as
ambassadors for the style around the
world
we’ll be manning the swampy roots rock
of Creedence Clearwater Revival however
as John Fogerty and the boys were
actually based out of El Cerrito
California
number ten the Black Crowes
hailing from the hearts of Georgia the
Black Crowes first burst onto the music
scene back in 1989 and released their
debut shake your moneymaker in the
winter of the following year fans soon
flocked to the Black Crowes and they’re
accessible take on southern rock which
incorporated old-school blues and hard
rock into a chart-topping musical
formula
add to this the black roses infectious
energy on the live stage and you have
one hard rockin band who wear a love of
the south proudly on their sleeve
number nine drive-by truckers
once again
the drive-by truckers may not be one of
the originators of southern rock but
they sure have served as a driving force
for the genre in the years since first
hitting the scene in 1998 with their
debut album gangsta Billy there’s a
sense of melancholy and true southern
style of Blues in much of the Bands
material the sort of sad honky Tonk vibe
which can make even the toughest rockers
want to cry lonely tears into their mug
of beer at other times drive-by truckers
hit hard with some impressively strong
guitar work passionate vocals and a
progressive songwriting sensibility
exemplified by their ambitious 2001
double album southern rock opera
number eight Alabama Shakes aha there’s
not hard-hitting blues and righteous
soul are just two of the immediate
markings which make up the musical
landscape of Alabama Shakes this group
strikes with power and passion on songs
I hold on and don’t want to fight
both of which which represent Alabama
Shakes as a vital and energetic new
force for modern southern rock much of
the success is thanks to the charismatic
presence and impressive musical talents
of frontwoman Brittany Howard who leads
Alabama Shakes as one of the most
promising bands and years to fly the
southern rock fly
bang
number seven outlaws
sure you may be more familiar with
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Freebird but have you
heard the other famous southern rock
epic if not then get ready for the
10-minute majesty which is green grass
and high tides by the outlaws
the group formed in the late 60s and
quickly earned a reputation as one of
the most musically dexterous bands
around while enjoying a career as one of
the most popular contenders for the
southern rock crown
smooth vocals driving drums and lead
guitar to die for are just a few of the
elements which makes the outlaws
southern rock legends
number six ZZ Top
is there any other southern rock band
out there with a visual style as
defining as that of ZZ Top the dark
sunglasses and long beards of lead
vocalist Billy Gibbons and bassist dusty
Hill matched with the less scruffy
rhythm section of Frank beard just
evokes an immediate mental image inside
the listeners head of what ZZ Top is all
about the band have also possessed the
musical chops to back up their MTV
friendly image thanks to a diet of
classic blues and an arsenal of killer
riffs from Gibbons
they’re Texas’s finest power trio often
imitated but never duplicated they are
ZZ Top
number five the Marshall Tucker Band
long ago
boy smooth soulful and contemplative
this is a sound of the Marshall Tucker
Band one of South Carolina’s finest
exports to the world of southern rock
the group has seen revolving door
members over the years since first
forming back in 1972 while in the
process laying much of the groundwork
over what would define southern rock in
their wake the soothing tone of Gerry
Eubanks and his flute are just one of
the elements which make the Marshall
Tucker Band stand out from their fellow
southern rockers combined with the
group’s incorporation of slide guitar
and smooth country soul into their sound
the results are a refreshing and
sensitive alternative in the often
traditional world of old-school southern
rock
number four the Charlie Daniels Band I
call me a written chicory kanata am but
these things going on that may have been
too cool
there are few southern rock musicians
out there with a resume or pedigree as
impressive as that of Charlie Daniels
this North Carolina native has done it
all from performing as a session
musician with the likes of Bob Dylan to
writing songs for Elvis Presley see the
way
yet the man’s biggest hit surely must be
the karaoke classic the Devil Went Down
to Georgia the Devil Went Down Georgia
he was looking for so steal he was in a
bag he was way behind he was willing to
make a deal the 1970 track makes
excellent use of Daniels is evocative
speaking voice as he narrates a musical
battle between a man and the devil with
a man’s soul hanging in the balance
the devil’s in the House of the Rising
Sun the Charlie Daniels bad wasn’t a
one-hit wonder however as he continued
to compose the at Racal southern rock
throughout the 80’s 90’s and beyond
number three 38 specials southern rock
for the 1980s this phrase does a good
job of describing the career arc of the
Floridian group known as 38 special
which was formed back in 1974 by
southern rock royalty so this is love
Doni Van Zandt brother of Lynyrd
Skynyrd’s ronnie van zant combined his
southern rock roots with a smart and
memorable accessibility one which was
tailor-made for the arena rock and hair
metal scenes that were popular during
the time
38 special remain a timeless southern
rock act thanks to such enduring radio
hits as hold on loosely second chance
and caught up in you
number two the Allman Brothers Band
guitars guitars and more guitars ask any
fan of the Allman Brothers Band and they
will likely point to this aspect as the
group’s most important selling point
Duane Allman and dickey betts were
Wizards on the fret board trading fiery
licks and epic harmonies one minute
before cooling it down for some soul
stripping emotional blues were the
Allman Brothers Band incorporated
everything from jazz country and soil
into their musicals to developing a
powerful sound which came across even
better in the live arena
sadly the band would suffer a tragic
loss when Duane Allman was killed in the
1971 motorcycle accident but they will
always be remembered with an eternal
spot in the southern rock history
welcome back before we unveil our number
one pick here are a few honorable
mentions magnetic family my back betting
family down
Oh
number one Lynyrd Skynyrd it may not
surprise anyone that Florida’s Lynyrd
Skynyrd tops our list of southern rock
rates but it’s also no secret that the
group were one of the hardest-working
and hardest partying bands of their day
blazing guitars ultra accomplished
songwriting and the anthemic vocals of
Ronnie Van Sant all led to Skynyrd’s
domination throughout the 1970s and
beyond
tragically a plane crash would claim the
lives of Van Zandt guitarist Steve
Gaines his sister Cassie and road
manager Dean Kilpatrick in October of
1977 I just want to be the magic of
Lynyrd Skynyrd would not be forgotten in
the years to follow and the surviving
members and fans continue to celebrate
the band’s music to this day so do you
agree with our list which southern rock
band do you think deserves top honors
for more hard-hitting top 10 list
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com
you
riffs and a whole lot of southern pride
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
southern rock bands
for this list will be ranking the most
popular and influential bands from the
southern rock genre in other words we’ll
be taking a look at groups who
originated in the southern United States
and who are often looked to as
ambassadors for the style around the
world
we’ll be manning the swampy roots rock
of Creedence Clearwater Revival however
as John Fogerty and the boys were
actually based out of El Cerrito
California
number ten the Black Crowes
hailing from the hearts of Georgia the
Black Crowes first burst onto the music
scene back in 1989 and released their
debut shake your moneymaker in the
winter of the following year fans soon
flocked to the Black Crowes and they’re
accessible take on southern rock which
incorporated old-school blues and hard
rock into a chart-topping musical
formula
add to this the black roses infectious
energy on the live stage and you have
one hard rockin band who wear a love of
the south proudly on their sleeve
number nine drive-by truckers
once again
the drive-by truckers may not be one of
the originators of southern rock but
they sure have served as a driving force
for the genre in the years since first
hitting the scene in 1998 with their
debut album gangsta Billy there’s a
sense of melancholy and true southern
style of Blues in much of the Bands
material the sort of sad honky Tonk vibe
which can make even the toughest rockers
want to cry lonely tears into their mug
of beer at other times drive-by truckers
hit hard with some impressively strong
guitar work passionate vocals and a
progressive songwriting sensibility
exemplified by their ambitious 2001
double album southern rock opera
number eight Alabama Shakes aha there’s
not hard-hitting blues and righteous
soul are just two of the immediate
markings which make up the musical
landscape of Alabama Shakes this group
strikes with power and passion on songs
I hold on and don’t want to fight
both of which which represent Alabama
Shakes as a vital and energetic new
force for modern southern rock much of
the success is thanks to the charismatic
presence and impressive musical talents
of frontwoman Brittany Howard who leads
Alabama Shakes as one of the most
promising bands and years to fly the
southern rock fly
bang
number seven outlaws
sure you may be more familiar with
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Freebird but have you
heard the other famous southern rock
epic if not then get ready for the
10-minute majesty which is green grass
and high tides by the outlaws
the group formed in the late 60s and
quickly earned a reputation as one of
the most musically dexterous bands
around while enjoying a career as one of
the most popular contenders for the
southern rock crown
smooth vocals driving drums and lead
guitar to die for are just a few of the
elements which makes the outlaws
southern rock legends
number six ZZ Top
is there any other southern rock band
out there with a visual style as
defining as that of ZZ Top the dark
sunglasses and long beards of lead
vocalist Billy Gibbons and bassist dusty
Hill matched with the less scruffy
rhythm section of Frank beard just
evokes an immediate mental image inside
the listeners head of what ZZ Top is all
about the band have also possessed the
musical chops to back up their MTV
friendly image thanks to a diet of
classic blues and an arsenal of killer
riffs from Gibbons
they’re Texas’s finest power trio often
imitated but never duplicated they are
ZZ Top
number five the Marshall Tucker Band
long ago
boy smooth soulful and contemplative
this is a sound of the Marshall Tucker
Band one of South Carolina’s finest
exports to the world of southern rock
the group has seen revolving door
members over the years since first
forming back in 1972 while in the
process laying much of the groundwork
over what would define southern rock in
their wake the soothing tone of Gerry
Eubanks and his flute are just one of
the elements which make the Marshall
Tucker Band stand out from their fellow
southern rockers combined with the
group’s incorporation of slide guitar
and smooth country soul into their sound
the results are a refreshing and
sensitive alternative in the often
traditional world of old-school southern
rock
number four the Charlie Daniels Band I
call me a written chicory kanata am but
these things going on that may have been
too cool
there are few southern rock musicians
out there with a resume or pedigree as
impressive as that of Charlie Daniels
this North Carolina native has done it
all from performing as a session
musician with the likes of Bob Dylan to
writing songs for Elvis Presley see the
way
yet the man’s biggest hit surely must be
the karaoke classic the Devil Went Down
to Georgia the Devil Went Down Georgia
he was looking for so steal he was in a
bag he was way behind he was willing to
make a deal the 1970 track makes
excellent use of Daniels is evocative
speaking voice as he narrates a musical
battle between a man and the devil with
a man’s soul hanging in the balance
the devil’s in the House of the Rising
Sun the Charlie Daniels bad wasn’t a
one-hit wonder however as he continued
to compose the at Racal southern rock
throughout the 80’s 90’s and beyond
number three 38 specials southern rock
for the 1980s this phrase does a good
job of describing the career arc of the
Floridian group known as 38 special
which was formed back in 1974 by
southern rock royalty so this is love
Doni Van Zandt brother of Lynyrd
Skynyrd’s ronnie van zant combined his
southern rock roots with a smart and
memorable accessibility one which was
tailor-made for the arena rock and hair
metal scenes that were popular during
the time
38 special remain a timeless southern
rock act thanks to such enduring radio
hits as hold on loosely second chance
and caught up in you
number two the Allman Brothers Band
guitars guitars and more guitars ask any
fan of the Allman Brothers Band and they
will likely point to this aspect as the
group’s most important selling point
Duane Allman and dickey betts were
Wizards on the fret board trading fiery
licks and epic harmonies one minute
before cooling it down for some soul
stripping emotional blues were the
Allman Brothers Band incorporated
everything from jazz country and soil
into their musicals to developing a
powerful sound which came across even
better in the live arena
sadly the band would suffer a tragic
loss when Duane Allman was killed in the
1971 motorcycle accident but they will
always be remembered with an eternal
spot in the southern rock history
welcome back before we unveil our number
one pick here are a few honorable
mentions magnetic family my back betting
family down
Oh
number one Lynyrd Skynyrd it may not
surprise anyone that Florida’s Lynyrd
Skynyrd tops our list of southern rock
rates but it’s also no secret that the
group were one of the hardest-working
and hardest partying bands of their day
blazing guitars ultra accomplished
songwriting and the anthemic vocals of
Ronnie Van Sant all led to Skynyrd’s
domination throughout the 1970s and
beyond
tragically a plane crash would claim the
lives of Van Zandt guitarist Steve
Gaines his sister Cassie and road
manager Dean Kilpatrick in October of
1977 I just want to be the magic of
Lynyrd Skynyrd would not be forgotten in
the years to follow and the surviving
members and fans continue to celebrate
the band’s music to this day so do you
agree with our list which southern rock
band do you think deserves top honors
for more hard-hitting top 10 list
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com
you
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