3 Rock Bands From the 1970s That Went Country Before It Was Cool

These 1970s rock bands leaned into country tones before it was commonplace. These groups set the standard for country rock. Many subsequent bands took a page from their book, furthering the blend of these two intrinsically linked genres. Without these bands, we wouldn’t have half of either the rock legends of the last several decades or the country stars with an added edge.

The Flying Burrito Brothers

It’s hard to overstate how significant Gram Parsons was to the country rock movement. The Flying Burrito Brothers were just one outfit of Parsons’ that helped establish this genre mix in the 1970s. Though they weren’t mainstream successes, per se, they inspired plenty of other top-selling acts that built on the blend they established.

The Flying Burrito Brothers recorded “Wild Horses” before The Rolling Stones, helping spread that iconic country-rock song. Their other top songs include “Colorado”, “Four Days Of Rain”, and “Tried So Hard”. Each of these songs earned them a cult following and made them enduring forces of inspiration in the country rock scene.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band helped bridge Southern rock and the West Coast hippie movement. “I knew a man Bojangles, and he danced for you / In worn out shoes / With silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy pants / The old soft shoe,” the lyrics to the band’s most famous 1970s offering, “Mr. Bojangles” read. This iconic cover, along with their many other tracks from this era, established them as a uniting force between the breezy West Coast sound and the traditions of Nashville.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band leaned into traditional instrumentation long before many of their peers did. Their unique blend earned them fans in both rock circles and the country fandom.

Poco

Lastly, we have Poco. This band emerged from the remnants of Buffalo Springfield, with Richie Furay and Jim Messina. The band pioneered melody-driven rock with stunning harmonies and country instrumentation.

“Tonight I’m gonna break away / Just you wait and see / I’ll never be imprisoned by / A faded memory / Just when I think I’m over her / This broken heart will mend / I hear her name, and I have to cry / The tears come down again,” the lyrics to Poco’s biggest 1970s hit, “Crazy Love”, read. This song, among others, established a powerhouse blend of high-octane rock and subtle southern sounds.

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