The Kentucky Headhunters-Pickin' on Nashville (1989)

Originally formed in the late 1960s as The Itchy Brothers, the Southern country rock band The Kentucky Headhunters is one of the best examples of American roots music from the 1980s. Founded by Doug Phelps (bass and vocals), Greg Martin (lead guitar and vocals), Richard Young (rhythm guitar and vocals), and Fred Young (drums and vocals), they gained some recognition during the 1970s thanks to minor hits like "Shotgun Effie", and the considerable interest shown by Led Zeppelin's label, Swan Song Records, in this band from Glasgow, Kentucky. In 1986, the group adopted the definitive name The Kentucky Headhunters, in homage to one of the animated characters from the popular 1980s TV series "King Leonardo and His Short Subjects." After presenting a demo to Mercury Records, the group secured a multi-album contract, beginning with "Pickin' On Nashville", an album recorded in Nashville, the quintessential country music city. This debut album became one of the best records by a new band in history, achieving not only an incredible number two on the Billboard charts, but also a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance of the Year. While it's true that The Kentucky Headhunters hadn't invented anything groundbreaking, their country rock, with its honky-tonk rhythms and elements of Southern rock, was incredibly carefree, upbeat, and rhythmic. Their covers of country classics like Bill Monroe's "Walk Softly on This Heart of Mine", Don Gibson's "Oh Lonesome Me", and Henson Cargill's "Skip a Rope" are magnificent demonstrations of the Headhunters' stimulating and captivating style. However, it was their own compositions, such as "Dumas Walker", "My Daddy Was a Milkman", and "Some Folks Like to Steal", that established them as one of the most promising country rock bands of the 1980s and 90s.

Neil Young-On The Beach (1974)

Neil Young's fifth album, "On the Beach", is considered by many to be a cult classic, following the bleak and depressing "Tonight's the Night". Like "Tonight's the Night", "On the Beach" wasn't a commercial success upon its release, but over time it achieved well-deserved recognition from fans and critics alike. Leaving behind his earlier, more ambitious productions, on this album Neil Young sought a more subdued and flexible sound. Here, the Canadian musician delves deeper into what he does best: composing, playing, and singing a series of songs that ultimately completed another of his great works. For this recording, Young enlisted the collaboration of several of his former bandmates from CSN and Crazy Horse, including Graham Nash, David Crosby, Billy Talbot, and Ralph Molina, as well as members of The Band, Levon Helm and Rick Danko. Songs filled with haunting tones like the folk rock "Walk On", the melancholic "Motion Picture", the blues "Vampire Blues", the folk "Ambulance Blues" or the hypnotic "On The Beach", made this one of the most conventional and honest albums of the brilliant Neil Young.

The Doobie Brothers-Takin´It to the Streets (1976)

In 1975, The Doobie Brothers were at the height of their popularity, having produced some of the best albums in American rock, such as "Toulouse Street" (1972), "Captain and Me" (1973), and "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" (1974), which had earned them five platinum records and sold several million albums. After this last album, they experienced their first setback with "Stampede" (1975), in which the band shifted their country and folk rock sound, with elements of rhythm and blues, towards a more soulful direction. After this last album, former Steely Dan member Michael McDonald joined the band. Along with guitarists Tom Johnstone, Patrick Simmons, and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, bassist Tiran Porter, and drummers Keith Knudsen and John Hartman, they recorded their sixth album, “Takin’ It to the Streets,” which returned them to success. In this new release, the band continued to evolve towards soul, funk, and jazz, while subtly maintaining the country and blues-infused rock of their earlier work, a style that linked them to Steely Dan. Tracks like the irresistible “It Keeps You Runnin´”, the funk “Wheels of Fortune” and “8th Avenue Shuffle”, the soulful “Takin’ It To The Streets”, the jazzy “For Someone Special” or “Turn It Loose”, the latter with that characteristic American rock sound from their previous albums, make up a record that would be the starting point for the sound that would end up making them even bigger in the following years.

Dan Fogelberg-Phoenix (1979)

Dan Fogelberg was one of the most exquisite folk and country rock singer-songwriters of the 1970s, with a discography brimming with hits, as evidenced by his first six albums, all of which went platinum and ultimately made him one of the most significant artists of the genre and a true idol in the United States. Dan Fogelberg was also a frequent collaborator on the work of other great artists such as Jackson Browne, Roger McGuinn, and Randy Newman. From his second album, "Souvenirs" (1974), Dan had the support of some members of The Eagles, such as Joe Walsh, Don Henley, and Glenn Frey, as well as other legendary musicians like Gerry Beckley of America, Al Perkins of The Flying Burrito Brothers, and Graham Nash. In the following years, Dan Fogelberg released a series of brilliant folk and country rock albums such as "Captured Angel" (1975), "Nether Lands" (1977), and "Phoenix" (1979). The latter was his greatest commercial success, selling over two million copies and reaching number three on the US Billboard charts. It included "Longer", one of his most iconic songs and a number one hit, as well as other appealing tracks like the country rock songs "Phoenix" and "Face the Fire", the beautiful, intimate folk song "Gypsy Wind", and the irresistible and captivating soft rock songs "The Last to Know", "Beggar's Game" and "Heart Hotels".

The Traveling Wilburys-Traveling Wilburys Vol.1 (1988)

 

A bizarre series of coincidences led five of the greatest rock artists in the world to come together and join forces to found the band The Traveling Wilburys and release several albums between the late 1980s and early 1990s. It all began when George Harrison (The Beatles) and Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra) finished composing and producing a song for the former Beatle's eleventh album, "Cloud Nine". Lynne also happened to be working at the same recording studios in Malibu, California, owned by Bob Dylan, producing Roy Orbison's album "Mystery Girl," so both ended up getting involved in Harrison's songwriting. Shortly after, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan also joined the project and collaborated on the recording. This amazing gathering of "friends" resulted in enough material to complete an independent album, which would be titled "Vol. 1" and released under the name The Traveling Wilburys. Released in October 1988, this debut album, comprised of ten high-quality tracks, was a fusion of the band members' styles, including country, folk, and rock, featuring the addictive songs "Handle With Care," "Dirty World," "Tweeter and the Monkey Man," and "End of the Line". Its reception was tremendously successful, selling over two million copies in the first few months after its release. However, The Traveling Wilburys' career was short-lived. Two months after the release of this first album, in December 1988, Roy Orbison died of a heart attack at the age of 52. Two years later, the four remaining musicians released a new and ultimately final album, "Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3," which they dedicated to Roy Orbison. Finally, after years of speculation about a reunion, The Traveling Wilburys would end up disappearing in 2001, with the death of George Harrison from lung cancer.

Bronco-Country Home (1971)

This short-lived band would become one of the most interesting folk-rock groups of the early 1970s in England, but they would succumb a few years later due to a lack of hits and the abundance of high-quality bands competing at that time, when everything seemed to indicate that they were, above all others, one of the most promising bands with a bright future. Formed in mid-1969, their initial lineup consisted of Jess Roden (formerly of the Alan Brown Set) on guitar and vocals, Robbie Blunt on guitar, Kevin Gammond on guitar, John Parternack on bass, and Pete Robinson on drums. In other words, a group made up of three guitarists who alternated between acoustic and electric guitars, giving their music a very deep, lyrical sound. Almost immediately, they secured a contract with Island Records, which released their album "Country Home" (1970). This album showcased a remarkably fresh folk style with a rich and intense sound, evident in tracks like the superb "Well Anyhow", and the country-rock numbers "Civil of You Stranger" and "Misfit on Your Stairs". This style evolved further with their second album, "Ace of Sunlight" (1971), which received critical acclaim but, like its predecessor, was a commercial failure. "Smoking Mixture" (1972) marked the end of the band, despite being promoted with a UK tour alongside the legendary John Martyn and Claire Hamill. After the breakup, some members went on to join other groups, such as Band of Joy (Gammond and Robinson), while others joined The Butts Band, a project formed by former Doors members Robby Krieger and John Densmore. More recently, Island Records included Bronco on their 50th anniversary album, "Meet on the Ledge" (2009), with the song "Time Slips Away".

The Doobie Brothers-The Doobie Brothers (1971)

Formed in the early 1970s, The Doobie Brothers are one of the seminal bands of American rock. Throughout their long career, they have showcased a versatile range of styles, evolving from the Southern rock of their beginnings to the jazz, rock, country, soul, and blues sounds of their subsequent releases. In 1971, their lineup consisted of Tom Johnstone (electric and acoustic guitars, harmonica, and vocals), Patrick Simmons (electric and acoustic guitars and vocals), John Hartman (drums and percussion), and Dave Shogren (bass, keyboards, and vocals). Produced by the renowned Ted Templeman, they released their self-titled debut album in mid-1971, already demonstrating their talent with a sound brimming with country rock, boogie rock, and rhythm and blues. Although still developing their style, this album features several of their legendary songs, such as the rhythmic "Nobody" and the country-rock anthem "Greenwood Creek". The dusty "The Master" and the beautiful vocal melodies of "Growin' a Little Each Day", "Closer Every Day", and "Travelin' Man" are other highlights of this seminal album, which received little of the media attention it deserved. A year later, the band achieved considerable success with their next release, "Toulouse Street", which incorporated other musical elements such as jazz and rural American sounds like bluegrass. These, combined with Southern country rock, became one of the defining styles of this magnificent band.

The Eagles-Desperado (1973)

For their second album, The Eagles' then-members (Bernie Leadon, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Randy Meisner) decided to take things a step further, crafting a concept album about the outlaws and gunmen of the Old West. To do this, the band drew inspiration from old American stories recounting the experiences of outlaws captured and killed in the 1890s. The result was "Desperado", the album where they best showcase their country roots with absolute clarity. From the title track, one of their most emblematic songs, a velvety country ballad, to the aggressive "Out of Control", The Eagles demonstrate their diverse range of sounds and intensities with an admirable and surprising work. But the album isn't just about these two songs; it also features outstanding tracks like the elegant "Tequila Sunrise", the spirited "Out Man", the heartfelt "Saturday Night", and the folk-infused "Twenty One" and "Certain Kind of Fool". Although the album was initially met with some lukewarm reception from fans, it gradually achieved well-deserved success, earning several platinum records and attaining cult status as one of the Californian group's best works and a true gem of American country music.

The Eagles-Eagles (1972)

The Eagles' beginnings were, to say the least, curious. They started in 1971 when producer John Boylan was looking for a backing band for country singer Linda Ronstadt. Almost overnight, Boylan assembled a group of folk and country musicians from the American West Coast. These musicians were Don Henley, Randy Meisner, Bernie Leadon, and Glenn Frey. Glenn Frey had been in a band called Longbranch Pennywhistle with Jackson Browne and J.D. Souther, who would later play a very important role in the Eagles. Don Henley, for his part, had been in a jazz band called Felicity, while Bernie Leadon was a member of several of the most important country bands of the late 1960s, such as The Flying Burrito Brothers and Dillard & Clark, with whom he recorded the albums "The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark" (1968) and "Through the Morning, Through the Night" (1969). Randy Meisner, for his part, belonged to Poco, with whom he recorded their first and fantastic album, "Picking Up the Pieces", in addition to playing in Ricky Nelson's band, with whom he also recorded several albums. Once in the recording studios for what would be Ronstadt's third album, producer Boylan began to realize that these four musicians had enough talent to start a joint career as an independent group. And so, on Boylan's own advice, they were approached by David Geffen, who had founded the Asylum label dedicated exclusively to country and folk-rock artists. He offered them a contract, and they recorded their first album at Olympia Studios in London, self-titled "Eagles" (1972), which they also named the group. It was produced by Glyn Johns, who would also produce the band's next album. The Eagles' mix of styles on this debut album ranged from soul influences to country and roots folk, but with a marked rock accent a sound that would be the group's constant in all their subsequent work. The album contains Jackson Browne's "Take It Easy", which would become one of the band's classics, as well as the intense "Take the Devil", the rocker "Chug All Night", the vigorous "Tryin' ",  the folk-tinged "Early Bird", and the elegant, soulful "Witchy Woman". Although it initially failed to climb the charts, this debut album would eventually sell a million copies, reaching the top ten on the Billboard charts, and simultaneously launching the brilliant career of one of the most important groups in the history of rock music.

The Eagles-Long Road Out Of Eden (2007)

In 2007, almost thirty years after their last album, "The Long Run" (1979), The Eagles returned with a double album titled "Long Road Out of Eden". With a collection of brilliant new songs, they successfully attempted to recapture the glory of their mid-seventies era. Featuring virtually the same lineup as that album three decades earlier, with the exception of the departed Don Felder, the band included the ever-present Joe Walsh, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Timothy B. Schmit. For this seventh album, they enlisted the help of a large group of session musicians, including guitarist Stuart Smith, percussionists Lenny Castro and Luis Conti, keyboardists Richard Davis and Michael Thompson, and drummer Scott Crago, as well as a substantial horn section. “Long Road Out Of Eden” presents a brilliant collection of country rock fused with soft rock, featuring standout tracks like the country-rock anthem “How Long”, which evokes the band’s unmistakable style, the shimmering “Busy Being Fabulous” and “Guilty Of The Crime”, the lucid and rhythmic “Somebody”, the borderland-tinged “Center Of The Universe”, the vintage “Last Good Time In Town”, and the funky rock anthem “Frail Grasp On The Big Picture”. The subsequent reception was as triumphant as it was astonishing, released at a time when illegal internet downloads were commonplace in the music world. However, this didn’t prevent the album from achieving sales exceeding ten million copies worldwide and twenty platinum records.

High South-Peace, Love & Harmony (2020)

High South is an American folk and country rock band based in Nashville. Formed in 2010, their style is clearly related to the great bands of the 70s such as America, CSN&Y, The Byrds, Bread, Poco, and The Eagles. With their third album, "Peace, Love & Harmony", this trio, comprised of Jamey Garner, Kevin Campos, and Phoenix Mendoza, transports us to the golden age of country and folk rock thanks to their exquisite vocal harmonies and crystalline acoustic guitars, blending rural sounds with the infectious style of West Coast rock. Magnificent melodies like "Get It On Up", "Let's Get High", "Moonlight On Sunset", "Make It Better", and "All We Need" evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing, but are performed with great character and personality.

Blues Image-Open (1970)

Blues Image was founded during the heyday of the great American country rock groups, sharing the stage with Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, and Poco. Formed in Florida in 1966 around guitarist Mike Pinera, Kent Henry (guitar), Joe Lala (vocals and percussion), Frank Konte (keyboards), Malcolm Jones (bass), and Manuel Bertematti (drums), they achieved their first and only international success in 1970 with their album "Open" and the hit single "Ride Captain Ride". Prior to this, they had released their self-titled debut album, "Blues Image" (1969), which had garnered them some international recognition. After this second album, the group experienced instability due to frequent lineup changes, despite releasing another album in 1970, "Red White & Blues Image", which went largely unnoticed. Pinera later joined Iron Butterfly, and the band finally dissolved in 1970. Blue Image has remained one of the great unjustly forgotten groups of North American West Coast music.

Clover-Clover (1970)

Clover was an American country rock band with a respectable eleven-year career (1967-1978), who rose to fame towards the end of their run as Elvis Costello's backing band on his album "My Aim Is True" (1977). Originally from Mill Valley, California, the band moved within the San Francisco psychedelic scene of the late 1960s, sharing the burgeoning folk and country rock scene of the era with contemporaries like The Byrds, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Their lineup consisted of Alex Call (vocals and guitar), John McFee (guitar and pedal steel), John Ciambotti (bass), and Mitch Howie (drums). In 1970, under the Fantasy Records label, they recorded their debut album, which features a rich and varied repertoire of excellent tracks that blend pure country, rock, and blues. Among them, the standout track is Junior Walker & The All Stars' version of "Shotgun", performed here with a distinct Southern funk flavor. The bluesy country number "Southbound Train" adds a distinctive touch to the album's dusty feel, and following a similar path are the superb country-rock tracks "Stealin' ", "Going to the Country", and "No Vacancy". After a second album released a year later, "Fourty Niner", Clover moved to the UK, where they underwent several lineup changes, including the addition of drummer Micky Shine and singer Huey Louis. Following another excellent album produced by Robert "Mutt" Lange, titled "Unavailable" (1977), they collaborated with Elvis Costello and toured extensively throughout England, opening for Thin Lizzy, Graham Parker, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Some time later, and with the definitive end of Clover, some of its members went on to join other legendary groups such as Huey Lewis and The News (founded by Huey Louis), Southern Pacific, or The Doobie Brothers.

The Don Harrison Band-The Don Harrison Band (1976)

The Don Harrison Band was a short-lived group popularly known in North America for featuring two of Creedence Clearwater Revival's most famous members: bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford. Along with guitarist Don Harrison and fellow guitarist Russell DaShiell, they formed The Don Harrison Band in 1975, releasing the albums "The Don Harrison Band" in 1976 and "Red Hot" the following year, both on Atlantic Records. Their self-titled debut is undoubtedly their best recording, an album that subtly evokes the country rock, swamp rock, and rhythm and blues influences of Creedence Clearwater Revival. On this first album, standout tracks include the swamp rock anthem "Sixteen Tons," undoubtedly the most tangible example of the Creedence sound, along with the fun "Romance," the southern-tinged "Who I Really Am," the rock and roll "Rock and Roll Records," the folky "Fame and Fortune," the blues rock "Sometimes Loving You," and the melodic "Living Another Day." The album's strong commercial reception led to them opening for The Rolling Stones at the 1976 Knebworth Festival. After the second album, the band definitively broke up, with Cook and Clifford joining Southern Pacific, before later reforming their old band as Creedence Clearwater Revisited, but without brothers John and Tom Fogerty.

Eric Clapton-461 Ocean Boulevard (1974)

Few musicians like Eric Clapton can boast of having belonged to four of the greatest bands in history: The Yardbirds, John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers, Cream, and Blind Faith, with whom he left behind some of the masterpieces of rock music, and yet having a solo career full of ups and downs. This somewhat diminished his credibility, not as a guitarist, which is beyond question, but due to his consistently limited songwriting ability. Even so, his extensive discography includes some of the best albums recorded in the 1970s, such as "461 Ocean Boulevard", released in 1974. This second album was his second and definitively cemented his solo career. In this second release, Clapton skillfully delves into the roots of American music, blending blues, country, and R&B with pop, reggae, and rock. Suggestive tracks like "Let It Grow" alternate with exquisite versions such as Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff", Willie Dixon's "I Can't Hold Out" or Johnny Otis' "Willie and the Hand Jive", while the traditional and lively "Motherless Children" or the beautiful folk blues "Please Be With Me", led the album to the top of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

Poco-Ghost Town (1982)

Well into the 1980s, the American band Poco was far from their glory days of the early 1970s, yet they continued to produce commendable work that kept them at the forefront of country rock. In 1982, they released their fifteenth album, "Ghost Town", featuring only two of their original members, guitarists Paul Cotton and Rusty Young, while the rest of the lineup consisted of Charlie Harrison (bass), Steve Chapman (drums), and Kim Ballard (keyboards). At this point, the band continued to offer that melancholic country rock style, bathed in brilliant vocal melodies and adorned with influences of catchy, harmonious, and melodic rock. The rich vocal harmonies of "How Will You Feel Tonight", the nods to the past with the country rock "When Hearts Collide", "The Midnight Rodeo (In The Lead Tonight)" or "Love's So Cruel", the addictive mid-tempo "Ghost Town" and the irresistible country "Cry No More" and "Break Of Hearts", reflected a remarkable work, despite being very far creatively from their legendary early albums.

The Eagles-One Of These Nights (1975)

The Eagles' first great masterpiece, a year before the billionaire in sales and masterpiece "Hotel California" hit the market, the Californian band invoiced this superb album that was partly the prelude to their radical turn in terms of sound which was endorsed a year later.
It is also the first work where the Frey-Henley duo consolidates its leadership by signing half of the album's songs, to the detriment of Bernie Leadon and Don Felder, both authors of only several songs.
Subjects like the song that gives title to the album, the rocker "Too Many Hands", the exciting "Alter The Thrill is Gone" and "I Wish You Peace", the instrumental "Journey of the Sorcerer" or the fantastic "Lyin' Eyes" and "Take it to the Limit", form a spectacular preview of what would soon come.

Lindisfarne-Back And Fourth (1978)

Lindisfarne are one of the great British folk rock bands that in 1971 would make their second album "Fog On The Tyne" the best-selling album in the UK.
Originally formed in 1968 by vocalist and guitar Alan Hull, Ray Jackson vocalist, harmonica and mandolin, Simon Cowe, keyboards, guitar and mandolin, Rod Clements bass and Ray Laidlaw on drums.
With a style that highlighted the sensitivity and soft melodies of British folk they released some of the best albums of the genre during the 70s.
In 1978 they released their sixth album "Back And Fourth" with which they would manage to return to their lost roots in their two previous albums and making a beautiful album where the beautiful "Run For Home" stands out, one of the best British ballads of all times, but also the cheerful "Juke Box Gypsy", the country folk "Warm Feeling", the pop folk "Woman", the folky blues "Kings Cross Blues" the rock "Get Wise" or the rhythmic folk "You And Me" .

Glenn Frey-No Fun Aloud (1982)

Two years after The Eagles' last album, "Eagles Live" (1980), one of its founding members, guitarist Glenn Frey, released his first solo album, which followed a more conservative approach than his work with the band. Recorded in various studios in Los Angeles, Alabama, and Miami, Frey enlisted a large group of musicians for the recordings, as well as producers Allan Blazek and Jim Ed Norman, in addition to co-producing the album himself. “Not Fun Aloud” is replete with sounds reminiscent of his former band, such as the elegant “I Found Somebody”, “I Volunteer”, and “That Girl”, all infused with subtle country influences; the powerful, dynamic rock of “Partytown”, “Don’t Give Up”, and “I’ve Been Born Again”, the introspective mid-tempo “All Those Lies”, and forays into Southern rock with the border-tinged “She Can’t Let Go” and jazz with “Sea Cruise”. However, this amalgamation of tracks brimming with suggestive keyboards, crystalline and powerful guitars, and backed by an ambitious and meticulous production, failed to win over the general public. It received a lukewarm reception and remained hidden among the vast array of albums released that year. Consequently, Frey subsequently redirected his style toward sounds far removed from the country rock of The Eagles.

Timothy B. Schmit-Expando (2009)

Timothy B. Schmit began his solo career in late 1984, some time after the Eagles disbanded.
His first three albums; "Playin 'It Cool" (1984), "Timothy B." (1987) and
"Tell Me the Truth" (1990) is great and brilliant work, he subsequently reunited with the Eagles in 1994, so he never had the opportunity to record such a relaxed and natural album as 2009's "Expando".
Abandoning all the glitter, but not the professional style, which lasted until 2001's "Feed the Fire", Schmit returns with "Expando" to his country and folk-rock roots, creating an album that has a clear line from his beginnings with Poco, with echoes of early Crosby, Stills & Nash, a resemblance underlined by the occasional guest harmonies of Graham Nash and the howling harmonica on "A Good Day," and clearly the work of a great soft rock composer as demonstrated on the song "I Can't Tell You Why".
"Expando" will be a seductive, soft and warm album, anchored in acoustic guitars and adorned with sweet harmonies, reaching its peak with the appearance of Blind Boys of Alabama on "Secular Praise", songs that are melodious, understanding, reflective and occasionally funny, as in his tongue-in-cheek blues-rock "White Boy from Sacramento" a luxury showcase for his son guitarist Ben. This strident satire is the exception to the rule of this album, which is full of harmonious and very relaxed soft rock.