Country rock

History and character

Country rock was born in the late 1960s, when West Coast and New York rock and folk rock musicians moved closer to country: Bob Dylan paved the way with "Blonde on Blonde" (1966), "John Wesley Harding" (1967), and above all "Nashville Skyline" (1969), partly recorded in Nashville; the Byrds with Gram Parsons released "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" (1968), considered one of the finest and most influential records of the genre; the Flying Burrito Brothers of Parsons and Chris Hillman, with "The Gilded Palace of Sin" (1969), defined its sound (Telecaster, pedal steel, harmonies, rock rhythm section). Next came Poco (formed from former members of Buffalo Springfield), Linda Ronstadt and her backing band, from which the Eagles were born ("Take It Easy", 1972; "Desperado", 1973; "Hotel California", 1976), Creedence Clearwater Revival and John Fogerty (Blue Ridge Rangers, 1972), New Riders of the Purple Sage, the Grateful Dead of "Workingman's Dead", Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

In the 1970s country rock reached its peak popularity and gave rise to Southern rock (Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker Band, Charlie Daniels Band — "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", 1979). In the 1980s and '90s it survived as a "cult" force in Texas and was renewed through roots rock and alt-country (Elvis Costello "Almost Blue" 1981, Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle, The Jayhawks, Blue Rodeo in Canada, Uncle Tupelo), up to the enormous success of "Raising Sand" by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (2007). Since the 2000s mainstream country itself has grown increasingly rock (distorted guitars, powerful drums), and in the 2020s there has been talk of a "honky-tonk" revival (Zach Bryan, Jackson Dean, Bailey Zimmerman), with Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell as the more "roots" reference points.

Aesthetic: the rhythm and energy of rock (drums with a full backbeat, electric bass, electric guitars, even distorted ones) combined with the instruments, vocal harmonies, and songwriting of country (pedal steel, Telecaster twang, banjo, acoustics, West Coast three-part harmonies), with lyrics about the road, freedom, the South, love.

Scales and keys

Major pentatonic

• Formula: 1 2 3 5 6 — T T 3S T 3S. On G: G A B D E.
• Characteristic note: open sound: "southern" guitar lines (Duane Allman, Dickey Betts) and country licks.
• Use: riffs, solos, two-guitar harmonies in thirds.
• Real-world example: Allman Brothers Band — Ramblin' Man; Eagles — Take It Easy.

Mixolydian

• Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 — T T S T T S T. On D: D E F# G A B C.
• Characteristic note: the b7 (C) and the bVII chord (C in D major): the sound of Southern rock.
• Use: I–bVII–IV progressions (Sweet Home Alabama), riffs, solos.
• Common mistakes: using the major 7 (C#) over the I–bVII riff: it creates a half step against the C chord.

Major pentatonic with b3

• On E: E F# G G# B C#. Use: Telecaster and B-bender licks, "twang" phrases.

Blues scale and minor pentatonic

• On A: A C D Eb E G. Use: rock and Southern solos, riffs (Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top).

Major (Ionian)

• On G: G A B C D E F#. Use: melodies and vocal harmonies (Eagles, Poco, Crosby Stills Nash & Young), ballads.

Natural minor

• On E: E F# G A B C D. Chords (natural minor scale): Em (i), G (III), Am (iv), Bm (v), C (VI), D (VII).
• Use: darker, "western" songs (Hotel California is in B minor with a descending progression with dominants: i–V–VII–IV–VI–III–iv–V).

How to choose

Harmony

Harmonic function

Country harmony (I–IV–V, vi) with the modal progressions of rock: I–bVII–IV, bVI–bVII–I, pedals, single-chord riffs, descending cycles in ballads. Choruses often climb to the IV or the vi; three-part vocal harmonies require open, clear voicings.

Typical elements

• I–bVII–IV–I (Southern riff).
• I–V–vi–IV and I–IV–I–V (songs).
• Descending progressions in minor with major V (Hotel California).
• Sus4 and add9 on 12-string acoustics (West Coast style).
• Solos over a two-chord vamp (Allman Brothers).

Voicings

12-string and 6-string acoustics with open chords, Telecaster with double stops and B-bender, steel with pads, electric guitars in harmonized thirds (twin guitar), power chords in the more rock songs, Hammond organ and honky-tonk piano.

Harmonic rhythm

1 chord per bar or per two bars; two-bar riffs repeated.

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

Feel

Rock groove in 4/4 with straight eighth notes and a full backbeat, often with a country "gallop" (alternating root–fifth bass, kick on 1 and 3) and the drive of the train beat in faster songs; shuffle in honky-tonk rock songs; slow ballads in 4/4 or 6/8; Southern rock with heavy grooves and long jams.

Accents

Strong backbeat on 2 and 4, kick on 1 and 3 or syncopated, crash on section starts, band stops on the riffs.

Microtiming

Band playing together, slightly "laid back" in West Coast songs, more push in Southern rock and Texas country rock.

Drums

Principle

Country rock drumming is rock drumming with country manners: a powerful but clean backbeat, simple grooves, dynamics in service of the vocal harmonies. References: Don Henley (Eagles), Jaimoe and Butch Trucks (Allman Brothers), Artimus Pyle and Bob Burns (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Levon Helm (The Band).

Kick

1 and 3 (rock two-step) or 1, "&" of 2, 3; quarter notes in the more driving choruses.

Snare

Backbeat on 2 and 4; cross-stick in ballad verses; train beat with sticks in faster songs.

Hi-hat and cymbals

Eighth notes on the hi-hat, ride in choruses and solos, crash on section starts.

Percussion

Tambourine on the backbeat, shaker, congas in Southern rock (Allman Brothers).

Dynamics and velocity

Medium verses (90–105), full choruses (115–127), crescendos in the jams.

Interaction

Kick and bass locked together; drums leave room for the vocal harmonies; in the jams the drums follow the guitarists (accents, crescendos, stops).

Sections

Intro with riff, verse, chorus with harmonies, solo (often double, guitar and steel or two guitars in harmony), final chorus, coda or jam.

Fills

Rock (toms and snare, 1 bar) before the choruses; longer fills in the jams.

Sounds

1970s kit with big, low-tuned toms, big snare, medium cymbals; in modern country rock a more compressed and "big" sound.

Typical mistakes

Hard-rock drums too heavy under the harmonies, constant fills, metal kick, tempo too rigid in the jams.

Bass

Sound

Electric bass (Precision, Rickenbacker on the West Coast), full and defined.

Notes

Alternating root–fifth (a country legacy), rock eighth notes in the choruses, walk-ups and walk-downs, melodic lines (Berry Oakley in the Allman Brothers).

Relationship with the kick

Locked on 1 and 3; in Southern rock more free and melodic.

Harmonic instruments

• Acoustic guitars, 6- and 12-string (West Coast style), strumming and arpeggios.
• Telecaster with B-bender (Clarence White, Byrds; Bernie Leadon and Joe Walsh in the Eagles).
• Electric guitars, lead, even distorted, twin guitars in harmony (Allman Brothers: Duane Allman and Dickey Betts), slide.
• Pedal steel (Sneaky Pete Kleinow with the Flying Burrito Brothers).
• Banjo, mandolin, fiddle as colors.
• Hammond organ and piano (Southern rock, The Band).

Melody and vocals

Lead vocal

Rock voice with country roots, mid-to-high register, singable melodies; in Southern rock, rougher voices.

Harmonies

The West Coast trademark: tight, bright three-part harmonies (Eagles, Poco, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Byrds), with the third voice on top.

Instruments as voices

Steel and guitars in harmony answer the voice; melodic, singable solos.

Effects

Plate and medium reverbs, double-tracked vocals, light chorus on the harmonies; slapback on the Telecasters.

Instruments

• Vocals and three-part harmonies
• Acoustic guitars (6- and 12-string)
• Telecaster (also with B-bender), lead electric guitars, slide
• Pedal steel, dobro
• Banjo, mandolin, fiddle
• Electric bass
• Drums, tambourine, congas
• Hammond organ, piano

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• B-3 V — Southern organ: Drawbars 888000000, slow/fast Leslie, overdrive: Gregg Allman, Billy Powell.
• Piano V — Piano: Honky-tonk and ballads (Billy Powell in Free Bird, The Band): bright grand piano or upright with light detune.
• Wurli V — Wurlitzer: 1970s color in West Coast ballads.
• Mellotron V — Strings and flutes: More psychedelic arrangements of the late 1960s.

Song structure

Song form

• Intro (4–8): guitar riff or 12-string acoustic.
• Verse 1 (16) – Chorus (8) with harmonies.
• Verse 2 – Chorus.
• Solo (8–16: Telecaster, steel, or guitars in harmony).
• Bridge (8) – Final chorus ×2 – Coda (fade or "big" ending).
• Length 3:00–5:00; in Southern rock and jams, 6–10 minutes (Free Bird, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed).

Arrangement

Verses with acoustics and light drums, choruses with harmonies, electrics, and steel; solos that build; long endings with the guitars in harmony.

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

Warm, airy rock: full, round 1970s drums, solid bass, shimmering acoustics, clear Telecaster and steel, wide and bright vocal harmonies, vocal out front. References: Eagles — Take It Easy and Hotel California, Lynyrd Skynyrd — Sweet Home Alabama, Allman Brothers Band — Ramblin' Man, Jason Isbell — 24 Frames, Zach Bryan (modern). Loudness −12/−9 LUFS (1970s −13/−11).

Kick

HP 35 Hz; 60–80 Hz +2 dB; −3/−4 dB at 350 Hz; 2–3 kHz +2 dB; compression 4:1 3–4 dB; center.

Snare

HP 90 Hz; 180–220 Hz +2 dB; −2 dB at 600 Hz; 5 kHz +2 dB; compression 4:1 4–5 dB; plate 1.2–1.6 s.

Toms and cymbals

Toms: HP 60 Hz, body 100–200 Hz, attack 4 kHz, expander. Overheads: HP 150 Hz, −2 dB at 400 Hz, air 10 kHz.

Bass

HP 35 Hz; 70–100 Hz +2 dB; −2 dB at 250 Hz; 800 Hz +2 dB; compression 4:1 4–6 dB; center.

Acoustic guitars (6- and 12-string)

HP 100–120 Hz; −3 dB at 200 Hz; presence 4–6 kHz; air 10–12 kHz; compression 3–4 dB; doubles ±70–100%.

Telecaster, electric guitars

Telecaster: HP 100 Hz; −2 dB at 300 Hz; 2–3 kHz; slapback 100 ms; pan 30–50%. Lead guitars: HP 90 Hz; −2 dB at 250 Hz; 1.5–3 kHz; low-level delay 350–450 ms; plate; two guitars in harmony at ±30–40%.

Pedal steel, banjo, mandolin, fiddle

Steel: HP 120 Hz; 1–3 kHz; hall 1.8 s; wide pan. Banjo and fiddle: −2/−3 dB at 2–3 kHz; pan 30–50%.

Organ and piano

Organ: HP 70 Hz; −2/−3 dB at 300–500 Hz; stereo Leslie. Piano: HP 60 Hz; −2 dB at 300 Hz; moderate stereo.

Lead vocal

HP 80–90 Hz; −2 dB at 300 Hz; presence 3–5 kHz (+2 dB); air 12 kHz; de-esser; 1176 4–5 dB + LA-2A 2–3 dB; plate 1.5 s pre-delay 50 ms; light double in the choruses.

Harmonies

HP 150 Hz; −1/−2 dB at 3 kHz; compression 5–6 dB; pan ±40–70% (third voice on top at one side, second at the other); light chorus; more reverb than the lead vocal.

FX

Plate for vocals and snare, hall for steel, slapback and spring for the Telecasters, delay for the lead guitars.

Buses and groups

Drum bus (SSL 4:1, 2–3 dB), guitar bus (1–2 dB), harmony bus (2 dB), mix bus (glue 2:1, 1–2 dB, tape).

Sidechain

None; dynamic ducking of the acoustics from the vocal.

Master

Chain: EQ (HP 30 Hz) – compressor 2:1 1–2 dB – tape – limiter. Target −11/−9 LUFS integrated, true peak −1 dBTP.

Common mistakes

Acoustics and electrics that muddy 200–400 Hz, harmonies too tight in the center, modern "metal" drums, buried steel, a master so loud it flattens the jams.

Reference tracks for mixing

Eagles — Take It Easy; Eagles — Hotel California; Lynyrd Skynyrd — Sweet Home Alabama; The Allman Brothers Band — Ramblin' Man; Dwight Yoakam — Guitars, Cadillacs; Chris Stapleton — Parachute.

Reference listening

• The Byrds — You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Sweetheart of the Rodeo, 1968)
• Bob Dylan — Lay Lady Lay (Nashville Skyline, 1969)
• The Flying Burrito Brothers — Sin City (1969)
• Creedence Clearwater Revival — Lookin' Out My Back Door (1970)
• Neil Young — Heart of Gold (1972)
• Eagles — Take It Easy (1972)
• The Allman Brothers Band — Ramblin' Man (1973)
• Lynyrd Skynyrd — Sweet Home Alabama (1974)
• Eagles — Hotel California (1976)
• The Charlie Daniels Band — The Devil Went Down to Georgia (1979)
• Dwight Yoakam — Guitars, Cadillacs (1986)
• Robert Plant & Alison Krauss — Please Read the Letter (Raising Sand, 2007)