Counting Down Southern Rock

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.

By C. Eric Banister

The Countdown:
100. "Another Man Down," Heartsfield
99. "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way," Hank Williams, Jr.
98. "Glitter Queen," Hydra
97. "Stars and Scars," Point Blank
96. "Mind Bender," Stillwater
95. "It's Your Secret," Sea Level
94. "Sang Her Love Songs," The Winters Brothers Band
93. "Fox Huntin'," Blackhorse
92. "Life's Railway To Heaven," Amazing Rhythm Aces
91. "Grits Ain't Groceries," Wet Willie
90. "Walk Softly," Kentucky Headhunters
89. "Mail Train Blues," Grinderswitch
88. "All Over But The Cryin'," Georgia Satellites
87. "Bougainvillea," Dickey Betts & Great Southern
86. "In America," Charlie Daniels Band
85. "Travelin' Shoes," Elvin Bishop
84. "Heard It On The X," ZZ Top
83. "Run Gypsy Run," Dickey Betts & Great Southern
82. "Champagne Jam," Atlanta Rhythm Section
81. "Still in Saigon," Charlie Daniels Band
80. "Georgia Rhythm," Atlanta Rhythm Section
79. "Twice As Hard," Black Crowes
78. "Before The Bullets Fly," Gregg Allman
77. "Knoxville Girl," The Outlaws
76. "Am I Losin'," Lynyrd Skynyrd
75. "Wishing Well," Blackfoot
74. "Fancy Ideas," Rossington Collins Band
73. "Fall of the Peacemakers," Molly Hatchet
72. "Uncle Liajh," Black Oak Arkansas
71. "Please Be With Me," Cowboy
70. "Jackie Blue," Ozark Mountain Daredevils
69. "So Into You," Atlanta Rhythm Section
68. "Higher Ground," Grinderswitch
67. "Battleship Chains," Georgia Satellites
66. "All I Can Do Is Write About It," Lynyrd Skynyrd
65. "Jealous Again," Black Crowes
64. "Searchin' For A Rainbow," Marshall Tucker Band
63. "Bounty Hunter," Molly Hatchet
62. "Don't Misunderstand Me," Rossington Collins Band
61. "Four Walls of Raiford," Lynyrd Skynyrd
60. "Rockin' In To The Night," .38 Special
59. "Hard To Handle," Black Crowes
58. "Jim Dandy," Black Oak Arkansas
57. "Country Side of Life," Wet Willie
56. "Gator Country," Molly Hatchet
55. "This Ol' Cowboy," Marshall Tucker Band
54. "Long Haired Country Boy," Charlie Daniels Band
53. "Honky-Tonk Night Time Man," Lynyrd Skynyrd
52. "24 Hours at a Time," Marshall Tucker Band
51. "Hurry Sundown," The Outlaws
50. "Trudy," Charlie Daniels Band
49. "Southbound," Allman Brothers Band
48. "Cheap Sunglasses," ZZ Top
47. "Rock Bottom," Dickey Betts Band
46. "Brickyard Road," Johnny Van Zant
45. "Seven Turns," Allman Brothers Band
44. "Fire On The Mountain," Marshall Tucker Band
43. "Good Clean Fun," Allman Brothers Band
42. "Dixie Rock," Wet Willie
41. "Freeborn Man," The Outlaws
40. "If You Wanna Get To Heaven," Ozark Mountain Daredevils
39. "Just Got Paid," ZZ Top
38. "Jukin'," Atlanta Rhythm Section
37. "Third Rate Romance," Amazing Rhythm Aces
36. "Dumas Walker," Kentucky Headhunters
35. "Wild Eyed Southern Boys," .38 Special
34. "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky," The Outlaws
33. "Keep Your Hands To Yourself," Georgia Satellites
32. "Grey Ghost," Henry Paul Band
31. "I'm No Angel," Gregg Allman
30. "Flirtin' With Disaster," Molly Hatchet
29. "Fooled Around and Fell in Love," Elvin Bishop
28. "Shout Bamalama," Wet Willie
27. "Hold On Loosely," .38 Special
26. "That Smell," Lynyrd Skynyrd
25. "Ain't Wasting Time No More," Allman Brothers Band
24. "Heard It In A Love Song," Marshall Tucker Band
23. "Midnight Rider," Allman Brothers Band
22. "Tuesday's Gone," Lynyrd Skynyrd
21. "Melissa," Allman Brothers Band
20. "Highway Song," Blackfoot
19. "There Goes Another Love Song," The Outlaws
18. "Homesick," Atlanta Rhythm Section
17. "Gimme Three Steps," Lynyrd Skynyrd
16. "Blue Sky," Allman Brothers Band
15. "LaGrange," ZZ Top
14. "Statesboro Blues," Allman Brothers Band
13. "Simple Man," Lynyrd Skynyrd
12. "Devil Went Down To Georgia," Charlie Daniels Band
11. "Dreams," Allman Brothers Band/Molly Hatchet
10. "South's Gonna Do It Again," Charlie Daniels Band
9. "Train Train," Blackfoot
8. "Take the Highway," Marshall Tucker Band
7. "Keep On Smilin'," Wet Willie
6. "Green Grass and High Tides," The Outlaws
5. "Sweet Home Alabama," Lynyrd Skynyrd
4. "Whipping Post," Allman Brothers Band
3. "Can't You See," Marshall Tucker Band
2. "Ramblin' Man'," Allman Brothers Band
1. "Free Bird," Lynyrd Skynyrd
... And 100 More