# Which band is usually credited with creating and popularizing Southern Rock? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [May 22, 2023, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443 "2023-05-22T22:48:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/21 "2023-05-23T02:10:04Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I saw Mountain live, mostly because of “Mississippi Queen.” They were loud. I saw the Allmans opening for Mountain, a few months after they opened for Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/22 "2023-05-23T14:18:19Z")
Mountain? An Itailian kid from the Bronx and a Jewish kid from Long Island? Never heard of them being mentioned as southern rock. More like hard rock and part of the foundation for heavy metal. I voted for the Allman Brothers. They were bigger first. It also depends on what you mean by Southern Rock. The Allmans were a blues band. Other rock bands like CCR blended country and rock. Do you mean country tinged rock or hard blues? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/23 "2023-05-23T14:27:52Z")
Southern Rock is hard to define. I think of it being heavily influenced by blues and rock with a little country sprinkled in. It does have a unique sound. You can’t mistake the Stones with the Allman Brothers. They both were blues based bands but each had its own sound. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/24 "2023-05-23T15:11:29Z")
Interesting that, for a musical form with so many roots in Black music, none of these pioneers had prominent Black members. (Yes I know one of the Allman Bros’ drummers was Black.) Yet of all the absolutely tremendous Black performers of that era and region – many of whom were inspirations and even mentors to the bands named above – I can’t think of any who truly played what we’d hear as Southern Rock. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/25 "2023-05-23T15:16:40Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Mountain?..Never heard of them being mentioned as southern rock. To be fair, their biggest hit was ‘Mississippi Queen.’ ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/26 "2023-05-23T15:18:19Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Note that Southern Rock was popularized less by a band, but by Phil Walden and Frank Fenter of Capricorn Records. > > Capricorn recorded the Allmans, **Bonnie Bramlett** , Delbert McClinton, Dixie Dregs, Marshall Tucker, Sea Level, Stillwater, Wet Willie, Charlie Daniels Band, Livingston Taylor, and Martin Mull. Excellent point here. I bolded Bramlett because Delaney & Bonnie’s band eventually evolved into Derek & the Dominoes, and _Layla_ is one of the cornerstones of Southern Rock, despite the leader being a Brit. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/27 "2023-05-23T15:47:50Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Mountain? An Itailian kid from the Bronx and a Jewish kid from Long Island? Never heard of them being mentioned as southern rock. More like hard rock and part of the foundation for heavy metal. And a Canadian kid on the drums. They were loud, reminded me of Alice Cooper, never any southern rock association. Most people only knew them from Mississippi Queen, and as a band their success was short lived. I’m kind of surprised so many people here remember them at all. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/28 "2023-05-23T15:59:07Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Most people only knew them from Mississippi Queen, and as a band their success was short lived So probably the second most known Mountain song (still unknown to most, though 😉), was [Nantucket Sleighride](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPlxsQn5xBI) which is certainly a lot more New England Rock than Southern Rock. I linked to the album version, which is probably 1/3 to 1/6 the length of the assorted live versions 😆. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/29 "2023-05-23T16:08:08Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Outlaws (not The Outlaws, who were an earlier British band) started in 1967 but didn’t become famous until 1975. I saw them live and their three lead guitar sound blew me away. In the top tier of all bands I liked on record who could replicate their sound live, rather than being louder. My first thought when I saw the thread title. I saw them, Skynyrd and the Allmans in a 4 month stretch around 1975, they did the southern rock sound the best. They also stayed true to the southern rock sound, Skynyrd drifted into the pop category and the Allmans stayed with the mellow rock sound. The last time I saw the Allman Brothers was in 1979, Elvin Bishop was the opening act. Bishop had everyone on there feet, Gregg and company put us back in our seats. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/30 "2023-05-23T16:15:24Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Interesting that, for a musical form with so many roots in Black music, none of these pioneers had prominent Black members. The “Southern” in Southern Rock implies white Rock, the same way the “Southern” in Southern Gospel means white Gospel. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/31 "2023-05-23T17:19:00Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > [@Akaj](#): > > > > Interesting that, for a musical form with so many roots in Black music, none of these pioneers had prominent Black members. > > The “Southern” in Southern Rock implies white Rock, the same way the “Southern” in Southern Gospel means white Gospel. By the time that southern rock became a genre the default for rock was white. No need for a code word. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/32 "2023-05-23T17:32:05Z")
[Jaimoe: Odd man in with the Allmans – troyrecord](https://www.troyrecord.com/2012/07/25/jaimoe-odd-man-in-with-the-allmans/) ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/33 "2023-05-23T18:01:00Z")
Cool article – thanks! I especially like the bit about Duane Allman wanting two drummers because that’s what Black performers like James Brown and Otis Redding had. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/34 "2023-05-23T18:32:57Z")
The Band and Credence. Neither was southern (or options on the poll). Canadian and Californian if I remember. They had the sound in 1968 and 69. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/35 "2023-05-23T18:46:47Z")
I’d also like to point out that The Band and Credence headlined at Woodstock. Mountain was the only other poll option to play at Woodstock and it was their 4th gig. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/36 "2023-05-23T20:25:08Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > The Band and Credence. As much as I love the Band, and consider them the true fathers of today’s alt-country-folk music (or what some label – yuck – Americana), they didn’t go in much for the extended jams that are part of the Southern rock DNA. Creedence did. Definitely ur-Southern there. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/37 "2023-05-23T21:00:46Z")
The Band recorded The Weight in their first session and played it at Woodstock. The emotive melancholy vocals are very similar to Simple Man, Whipping Post… You’re right they didn’t do the extended jams but that wasn’t really a southern rock mainstay yet and everybody put out long songs in the 1970’s. It made me go back and look: CCR ended 1969 with 3 songs on the billboard year-end top 100 (Proud Mary, Green River, Bad Moon Rising). The only other country/rock act to chart looks like Jonny Cash with Boy Named Sue. Not bad for a few kids from EL Cerrito, California. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/38 "2023-05-23T21:18:47Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > Not bad for a few kids from EL Cerrito, California. Right? For 3-4 years everything they touched was amazing. Then Fogerty got pissed at the record company (justifiably) and that was basically that. A glorious career squandered, that. ---
**Author:** ![MrPete67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@MrPete67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrPete67)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/39 "2023-05-23T21:58:49Z")
One of my best friends ( was in a S.F. band " CHUMBI", in the late '70’s - early '80’s), is a concert sound guy… He still does live sound for ( what is left) of CCR. ( among others known from the area) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443/40 "2023-05-23T22:08:21Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > I’d also like to point out that The Band and Credence headlined at Woodstock. Mountain was the only other poll option to play at Woodstock and it was their 4th gig. The Greatful Dead aren’t considered southern rock but their certainly are a lot of country roots in their music. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-band-is-usually-credited-with-creating-and-popularizing-southern-rock/984443.md?page=3)