There are rarely hard-and-fast boundaries between genres. Sometimes blending them can lead to great music. That has happened a number of times over the years. Rock tunes inflected with country vibes and country songs with a rock sheen have occasionally been smashing successes. And let's not forget that a country music stalwart like Dolly Parton is enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! We want to take a glance back at a few examples of country-rock crossovers that pleased listeners and stood the harsh test of time. They definitely merit some more love!
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"Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
You have to dip back into the 1960s - 1969, to be exact - for this gem of a song crafted by the legendary John Fogarty. Per Taste of Country, it's "equal parts soul, rock, and country...." The lyrics about someone who ditches an urban career for gloriously footloose life on a riverboat bring in the country aspect. The rock demeanor of the track comes in via the guitars. We also need to give a respectful nod to the cover done by the one and only Tina Turner. She starts off slow and bluesy, then, explodes into a frenzy. What could be more rock and roll then that? Blistering and juiced-up, it became Turner's perennial signature song.
"Gunpowder & Lead" by Miranda Lambert
If anyone can do justice to a country-rock mashup, it's the queen of revenge songs, Miranda Lambert, This one packs a beautifully sassy punch. It has plenty of insistent drums driving the track, a foundation of twangy guitars, the wildly breakneck pace of rock, and a passionate, no-holds-bared attitude. Co-written by Lambert, it's on her 2007 album Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. It became a Top Ten hit for the fiery country singer.
"She's Country" by Jason Aldean
Rock fans will find lots to chew on with this sizzling track from Aldean. Per the outlet, it's a "radio-ready country hit [with] beefy hard rock guitars." It rightfully soared to the number 1 chart position. Written by Danny Myrick and Bridgette Tatum, Per The Boot, Myrick said, "I grew up on '80s country, then rock bands like AC/DC and the kind of bands that Jason is into. Bridgette and I write a lot of stuff that mirrors the rock guitar riffs with Southern rock country lyrics. This song is a perfect marriage of that."
"Love Is a Rose" by Linda Ronstadt
Few artists sing with as much conviction, purity, and authenticity as Ronstadt. She does this song with subtle rock overtones. Per Songfacts, "Love Is a Rose" was written by Neil Young who recorded it in the mid-Seventies. Ronstadt's cover took just an hour in the studio. It's got fiddle, harmonica, and banjo, plus acoustic guitar, bass, and drums. Her powerful vocals dominate. The song appears on her classic 1975 LP, Prisoner in Disguise.
