Southern Rock Mount Rushmore

Spanning the generations:

Lynyrd Skynyrd
Allman Brothers
Black Crowes
Drive By Truckers

2nd Tier:
Molly Hatchet
.38 Special
Marshall Tucker
Outlaws
Blackfoot
Blackberry Smoke
CDB (pre-right-wing transformation)

Honorable Mention:
Brother Cane
Barefoot Jerry
Wet Willie

Note my cup of tea but they deserve recognition:
Black Oak Arkansas
Atlanta Rhythm Section

I don't include ZZ Top, Fabulous Thunderbirds or Little Feat because they're more blues rock. I don't include Tom Petty, REM or B-52s because their music has so little country influence - the just happen to be from the south. I also don't include DMB for that reason and because they're terrible. Not sure what to do with California country folk rock like Gram Parsons.

Finally -- anyone who merited a shout-out in either Charlie Daniels's "The South's Gonna Do It Again" or Molly Hatchet's "Gator Country" gets a place on the list. So also Barefoot Jerry, Elvin Bishop and Grinderswitch (though I disagree with Charlie's inclusion of ZZ Top, who are really their own genre).

 

No list of Southern Rock is complete without this:

The lines between rock/country/pop/rockabilly, etc. are not that easily defined. Some music fits better in different places on the spectrum. Mention Jimmie Rodgers to a group of folklorists and/or ethnomusicologists, stand back, and have bandages ready. Same goes for food studies types and foodies when it comes to BBQ.

 

And Charlie Daniels' fat ass needs to be belabored with the stub end of a hockey stick. It's personal. I hate his bloviating and I had to march behind him and the equine poop machine charged with carrying him in multiple parades.

 

since Mt. Rushmore is composed of individuals,

Duane Allman

Ronnie Van Zant

Johnny Winter

Billy Gibbons

 

Four pages and nobody has mentioned Widespread Panic? Y'all are harshin' my mellow.

 

Can't argue the first two but as great as Johnny Winter and Billy Gibbons are they are both from Texas (Johnny was heavily into blues, not sure he played much "southern rock". Gibbons was a tremendous blues and boogie guitarist in ZZ Top's pre-MTV days). I would add Gregg Allman, as fine a blues singer as has ever lived (especially when he was younger), fight amongst yourselves for the fourth spot

 

Dickie Betts has to be there.

 

There ya go. I'll buy that.

 

so basically the Allman Brothers belong on the Mt. Rushmore of Southern Rock.

 

"Grits Ain't Groceries", "Shout Bamalama", and "You Keep A-Knocking", all on Wet Willie II are great. Solid album. Loved them. I was just pulling the icons.

Gov't Mule certainly belongs on the list.

 

Damn right they do. They basically invented the genre.

 

Hit a fattie and kick back.