The 10 Best Southern Rock Songs

Southern rock saved the South.

No, not in that way.

Saved from haters—like me.

But let’s be fair.

It has always been easy to hate on the American South.

Slavery. Dragging us into a civil war to preserve slavery. Segregation. Tobacco. Rebuilding off jobs and labor stolen from elsewhere. Preserving the right to remain backwards in the name of states’ rights. And then celebrating it all with self-righteousness and a flag that wasn’t even creative.

Along the way, however, the same folks—English, Scots-Irish, French, Spanish, Africans, Native Americans, and so on—were making music. And where their minds sowed chaos, their notes sowed beauty.

Blues. Jazz. Rock. Bluegrass. Country. Gospel.

Nowhere was this beautiful marriage more apparent than in the artistry of Southern rock, a sound that took root in the 1960s and still breathes on the airwaves of classic rock radio, not because of misplaced nostalgia but rather the need to preserve brilliance.

The acts have been numerous: Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers Band, ZZ Top, the Marshall Tucker Band, Molly Hatchet, Outlaws, Blackfoot, the Charlie Daniels Band, Wet Willie, Atlanta Rhythm Section, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Black Oak Arkansas, the Georgia Satellites, 38 Special, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Black Crowes, Drive-By Truckers, and Alabama Shakes, to name a few.

Here are 10 tracks that capture the genius.

 

“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Formed in Jacksonville, Florida—otherwise known as southern Georgia—Lynyrd Skynyrd’s run was tragically interrupted by a plane crash that took the lives of their lead singer, backup singer, and guitarist. Never shy about flying the aforementioned Confederate flag, their signature tune was a response to Neil Young’s scathing “Southern Man.”

 

“Ramblin’ Man” by The Allman Brothers Band

Also hailing from Jacksonville was the Allman Brothers Band, sadly no stranger to tragedy themselves, losing founder Duane Allman and bassist Berry Oakley to successive motorcycle accidents. They were known for using two drummers—one an African American—and instrumentals that would turn heads even in elitist circles.

 

“Thorn in My Pride” by The Black Crowes

Another set of brothers—the Robinsons—came onto the scene in 1980s Atlanta, wowing audiences with a unique blend of rock, blues, and gospel. This song, one of the most underrated of the 1990s, captures it all.

 

“La Grange” by ZZ Top

Never one to be outdone, Texas—Houston to be exact—produced the bearded ones, creators of Southern rock staples like this jam.

 

“Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Another gem from Lynyrd Skynyrd—aside from being a rock standard, this song continues to provide timeless life advice.

 

“Jessica” by The Allman Brothers Band

As gifted musicians, the Allman Brothers Band occasionally opted to forgo vocals, a decision that translated into this instrumental track, sporting a rock piano solo still considered among the best.

 

“Can’t You See” by The Marshall Tucker Band

Call it country rock or Southern rock, this tune—courtesy the boys from Spartanburg, South Carolina—has to be on the list.

 

“Green Grass and High Tides” by Outlaws

Formed in Tampa, Florida, before the city became an extension of the Midwest, Outlaws gave us the guitar jam that might not get as much love as its contemporaries but probably should.

 

“Whipping Post” by The Allman Brothers Band

Start a piece with an 11-beat lick and throw in some wicked call and response, and you might be sitting on a classic. The Allman Brothers were.

 

“Freebird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

And finally, there’s no other way to end than with a song that is still mentioned in the same breath as “Stairway to Heaven” as one of the greatest rock songs of all time.