Who Invented Country Rock?, Part II

Remember my post from a month ago about Who Invented Country Rock? (If you missed it, here's a mix of some of the highlights.) Well, it turned out to be the most popular post I've ever done, generating lots of comments and e-mails. So now its time to tie up some loose ends based on all the great feedback resulting from my earlier country-rock post.

EARLY PIONEERS:

(1) Jimmie Rodgers

Some readers voiced the opinion that elements of country and rock were always intertwined and that "country rock" was, in some sense, "invented" before country or rock, or at least at the same time. It's true that elements of the "country-rock" style have been around for a long time. Here's one from oldtime favorite Jimmie Rodgers, a musical pioneer whose style pre-dated and paved the way for both rock and country:

Jimmie Rodgers – In The Jailhouse Now (buy album)

(2) Moon Mullican

In a similar vein, the author of the great blog Big Rock Candy Mountain argued that "Moon Mullican invented "Country Rock" all the way back in the late 30's through the early 50's." He cited the songs Cherokee Boogie and Seven Nights to Rock in particular:

Moon Mullican – Cherokee Boogie (buy album)

(3) Rex Griffin

Here's an oldtime rockin' country song that eventually made its way to The Beatles via Carl Perkins:

Rex Griffin – Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (buy album)

FROM THE COUNTRY SIDE:

(4) Wynn Stewart

In the first country rock post I gave a lot of credit to Buck Owens, as a representative of the Bakersfield sound, for adding electric instruments and a backbeat to traditional country music. Owens was the most visible proponent of this style, but since we are talking about firsts here, I would be remiss not to mention Wynn Stewart, the father of the Bakersfield sound and a prime influence on Owens:

Wynn Stewart - Big Big Love (buy album)

(5) The Osborne Brothers

In similar fashion, The Osborne Brothers turned up the volume (and popularity) of bluegrass music with songs like this 1968 hit:

The Osborne Brothers - Rocky Top (buy album)

(6) Clarence White

Along with Gram Parsons, Clarence White is probably the single most important person in the development of country rock. He started out as an accoustic bluegrass flatpicking prodigy and literally brought a country style into rock music when he went electric. LD's comment (on my last country-rock post) nails it: "Who do you think The Byrds hired to give their country-ish songs legitimacy beginning with the Younger Than Yesterday album? Clarence White. I'd go so far as to say that Clarence White's influence on the origin of country-rock is as underrated as Gram's is overrated." As I've mentioned before, I've got a big Clarence White post in the works. Until then:

Clarence White - Hong Kong Hillbilly (buy album)

SIXTIES ROCK AND POP:

(7) Mike Nesmith

Many of this blog's readers worship at the altar of Mike Nesmith, which caused me to learn a lot about his early country-rock contributions. (I already knew that his mother invented liquid paper and the he produced the greatest cult movie ever made). Here's one of his country-rock efforts that pre-dated The Byrds' Sweetheart album:

The Monkees – Sunny Girlfriend (buy album)

(8) The Beau Brummels

Brendan, from The Rising Storm, mentioned the Beau Brummels. In the comment section to the last post I included a tune from their album Triangle. Their next album, Bradley's Barn was recorded in Nashville in 1968 (the year of country rock):

The Beau Brummels – Turn Around (buy album)

(9) Stone Country

Reader Terry called my attention to the band Stone Country, whose members included country-folk singer Steve Young. Terry described their 1968 album as "country rock with a slightly psychy edge." That pretty much gets it. Here are a couple songs from that album that I've enjoyed discovering:

Stone Country – Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde (buy album)

Stone Country – Why Baby Why (buy album)

(10) Hearts & Flowers

Both reader Terry, and Jason from The Rising Storm, have recommended the band Hearts & Flowers, which I should have included last time around but left out because I was running out of steam. Here's a sample:

Hearts And Flowers – I'm A Lonesome Fugitive (buy album)