Publisher Description

When Southern rock acts like the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynrd stormed American concert stages, detractors immediately came to the fore declaring the genre to be little more than a marketing gimmick. But those on stage themselves would have called its appearance not only inevitable but also a way of life. In the end, the musicians who played Southern rock reflected a robust and broad variety of influences, drawing deeply from the wellsprings of blues, rock, country, and even jazz. Listeners gravitated to the sounds of the New South, a place that had captured pop culture's imagination amid the turbulence following President Nixon's successful Southern strategy and silent majorities. Southern rock garnered a second wave of enthusiasm with the rise of the urban cowboy and Bill Clinton's ascension to the presidency. For nearly half a century, Southern rock has captured and expressed the energy of the New South, inspiring a legacy that listeners can still hear from jam bands, indie acts, and mainstream country musicians.In Counting Down Southern Rock: The 100 Best Songs, C. Eric Banister considers the best songs to emerge from the bands who made Southern rock what it is. Banister examines the impact of the songs on the society and culture of devoted fans and delves deep into the history and production of each song. Featuring such well-known bands as the Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as less visible groups like Blackhorse and Heartsfield, this book is the perfect introduction for both newbies and dedicated fans.

Author Biography

C. Eric Banister is an internationally published music journalist with a passionate interest in country, blues, and rock and roll. He is the author of Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know about the Man in Black. He also maintains Music Tomes , a site focusing on books on music and musicians.

Table of Contents

The Countdown:100. "Another Man Down," Heartsfield99. "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way," Hank Williams, Jr.98. "Glitter Queen," Hydra97. "Stars and Scars," Point Blank96. "Mind Bender," Stillwater95. "It's Your Secret," Sea Level94. "Sang Her Love Songs," The Winters Brothers Band93. "Fox Huntin'," Blackhorse92. "Life's Railway To Heaven," Amazing Rhythm Aces91. "Grits Ain't Groceries," Wet Willie90. "Walk Softly," Kentucky Headhunters89. "Mail Train Blues," Grinderswitch88. "All Over But The Cryin'," Georgia Satellites87. "Bougainvillea," Dickey Betts & Great Southern86. "In America," Charlie Daniels Band85. "Travelin' Shoes," Elvin Bishop84. "Heard It On The X," ZZ Top83. "Run Gypsy Run," Dickey Betts & Great Southern82. "Champagne Jam," Atlanta Rhythm Section81. "Still in Saigon," Charlie Daniels Band80. "Georgia Rhythm," Atlanta Rhythm Section79. "Twice As Hard," Black Crowes78. "Before The Bullets Fly," Gregg Allman77. "Knoxville Girl," The Outlaws76. "Am I Losin'," Lynyrd Skynyrd75. "Wishing Well," Blackfoot74. "Fancy Ideas," Rossington Collins Band73. "Fall of the Peacemakers," Molly Hatchet72. "Uncle Liajh," Black Oak Arkansas71. "Please Be With Me," Cowboy70. "Jackie Blue," Ozark Mountain Daredevils69. "So Into You," Atlanta Rhythm Section68. "Higher Ground," Grinderswitch67. "Battleship Chains," Georgia Satellites66. "All I Can Do Is Write About It," Lynyrd Skynyrd65. "Jealous Again," Black Crowes64. "Searchin' For A Rainbow," Marshall Tucker Band63. "Bounty Hunter," Molly Hatchet62. "Don't Misunderstand Me," Rossington Collins Band61. "Four Walls of Raiford," Lynyrd Skynyrd60. "Rockin' In To The Night," .38 Special59. "Hard To Handle," Black Crowes58. "Jim Dandy," Black Oak Arkansas57. "Country Side of Life," Wet Willie56. "Gator Country," Molly Hatchet55. "This Ol' Cowboy," Marshall Tucker Band54. "Long Haired Country Boy," Charlie Daniels Band53. "Honky-Tonk Night Time Man," Lynyrd Skynyrd52. "24 Hours at a Time," Marshall Tucker Band51. "Hurry Sundown," The Outlaws50. "Trudy," Charlie Daniels Band49. "Southbound," Allman Brothers Band48. "Cheap Sunglasses," ZZ Top47. "Rock Bottom," Dickey Betts Band46. "Brickyard Road," Johnny Van Zant45. "Seven Turns," Allman Brothers Band44. "Fire On The Mountain," Marshall Tucker Band43. "Good Clean Fun," Allman Brothers Band42. "Dixie Rock," Wet Willie41. "Freeborn Man," The Outlaws40. "If You Wanna Get To Heaven," Ozark Mountain Daredevils39. "Just Got Paid," ZZ Top38. "Jukin'," Atlanta Rhythm Section37. "Third Rate Romance," Amazing Rhythm Aces36. "Dumas Walker," Kentucky Headhunters35. "Wild Eyed Southern Boys," .38 Special34. "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky," The Outlaws33. "Keep Your Hands To Yourself," Georgia Satellites32. "Grey Ghost," Henry Paul Band31. "I'm No Angel," Gregg Allman30. "Flirtin' With Disaster," Molly Hatchet29. "Fooled Around and Fell in Love," Elvin Bishop28. "Shout Bamalama," Wet Willie27. "Hold On Loosely," .38 Special26. "That Smell," Lynyrd Skynyrd25. "Ain't Wasting Time No More," Allman Brothers Band24. "Heard It In A Love Song," Marshall Tucker Band23. "Midnight Rider," Allman Brothers Band22. "Tuesday's Gone," Lynyrd Skynyrd21. "Melissa," Allman Brothers Band20. "Highway Song," Blackfoot19. "There Goes Another Love Song," The Outlaws18. "Homesick," Atlanta Rhythm Section17. "Gimme Three Steps," Lynyrd Skynyrd16. "Blue Sky," Allman Brothers Band15. "LaGrange," ZZ Top14. "Statesboro Blues," Allman Brothers Band13. "Simple Man," Lynyrd Skynyrd12. "Devil Went Down To Georgia," Charlie Daniels Band11. "Dreams," Allman Brothers Band/Molly Hatchet10. "South's Gonna Do It Again," Charlie Daniels Band9. "Train Train," Blackfoot8. "Take the Highway," Marshall Tucker Band7. "Keep On Smilin'," Wet Willie6. "Green Grass and High Tides," The Outlaws5. "Sweet Home Alabama," Lynyrd Skynyrd4. "Whipping Post," Allman Brothers Band3. "Can't You See," Marshall Tucker Band2. "Ramblin' Man'," Allman Brothers Band1. "Free Bird," Lynyrd Skynyrd… And 100 More

Review

Music-journalist Banister takes a look at Southern rock, digging into historical information to explain why he thinks these 100 songs are the best representation of the genre. Each song entry contains the original release information and several paragraphs of anecdotes and insight about not only the music, but also pop-culture details and trivia surrounding each song. Featured artists include the Allman Brothers Band, the Black Crowes, the Kentucky Headhunters, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and ZZ Top. Music fans will enjoy this volume (and the others in this series), which should find a home in most circulating collections. * Booklist *
Bannister's work will serve as an excellent gateway to Southern Rock for those unfamiliar with the genre. * American Reference Books Annual *
[T]he song write-ups [in Counting Down Southern Rock] are brief ... making for a fast read but also making it convenient to set the book down when you want to take a break, which is a good thing because you'll be inspired to get up and put on your favorite Southern rock album. * antiMusic *
I recommend Counting Down Southern Rock for all circulating collections. It also deserves a place on the bookshelf of anybody that finds enjoyment in listening to and learning about southern rock. * s *

Long Description

When Southern rock acts like the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynrd stormed American concert stages, detractors immediately came to the fore declaring the genre to be little more than a marketing gimmick. But those on stage themselves would have called its appearance not only inevitable but also a way of life. In the end, the musicians who played Southern rock reflected a robust and broad variety of influences, drawing deeply from the wellsprings of blues, rock, country, and even jazz. Listeners gravitated to the sounds of the New South, a place that had captured pop culture's imagination amid the turbulence following President Nixon's successful Southern strategy and silent majorities. Southern rock garnered a second wave of enthusiasm with the rise of the urban cowboy and Bill Clinton's ascension to the presidency. For nearly half a century, Southern rock has captured and expressed the energy of the New South, inspiring a legacy that listeners can still hear from jam bands, indie acts, and mainstream country musicians. In Counting Down Southern Rock: The 100 Best Songs, C. Eric Banister considers the best songs to emerge from the bands who made Southern rock what it is. Banister examines the impact of the songs on the society and culture of devoted fans and delves deep into the history and production of each song. Featuring such well-known bands as the Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as less visible groups like Blackhorse and Heartsfield, this book is the perfect introduction for both newbies and dedicated fans.

Review Quote

Music-journalist Banister takes a look at Southern rock, digging into historical information to explain why he thinks these 100 songs are the best representation of the genre. Each song entry contains the original release information and several paragraphs of anecdotes and insight about not only the music, but also pop-culture details and trivia surrounding each song. Featured artists include the Allman Brothers Band, the Black Crowes, the Kentucky Headhunters, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and ZZ Top. Music fans will enjoy this volume (and the others in this series), which should find a home in most circulating collections.

Details