10 Best Albums To Turn People On To Southern Rock

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Our 10 Best Albums to Turn People on to Southern Rock lists albums that, for the most part, have been classified as Southern rock and roll. Now, of course, some bands have denied that they should ever be labeled as Southern rock, the Allman Brothers Band being one of them. Nonetheless, if we had to come up with a label, categorizing the Allman Brothers Band as Southern rock would probably be the most appropriate. However, all big-time Allman Brothers fans know they blended many genres, including jazz, country, rock, and more.

Of course, some bands are strictly Southern-sounding, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Charlie Daniels Band, and even the Outlaws. The Marshall Tucker Band had a strong Southern sound, though their music also had some Northern elements. So, if you know somebody who doesn’t know much about Southern rock or doesn’t fully understand the genre itself, we figured we would put together a list of ten of the best albums that feature not only the best Southern rock bands of all time but also some of their finest work.

The one rule we used for this list was to allow only “one album per band,” so we could showcase a wide assortment of musical acts.

# 10 – The Whippoorwill – Blackberry Smoke

Who says all the best Southern rock albums had to come out in the ’70s and ’80s? Southern rock is alive and well, and you can thank bands like Blackberry Smoke for keeping it alive. While much of this list was designed for younger listeners to help them discover classic Southern rock bands, this entry may help older fans discover new bands. If you haven’t heard of Blackberry Smoke, they’re worth checking out.

The stunning Charlie Starr leads the band on lead vocals and guitar. This man really kicks it. The lineup also includes Richard Turner on bass, Paul Jackson on guitar, Brandon Still on keyboards, and Brit Turner on drums. Blackberry Smoke brings a fresh yet authentically gritty Southern rock sound, bridging the gap between the genre’s past and future.

# 9 – Wild-Eyed Southern Boys – 38 Special

For a while in the early ’80s, Southern rock took a bit of a turn toward the pop side. This shift was fueled by 38 Special, which found major success on MTV with a few singles. 38 Special is an interesting band because, at heart, they were a Southern rock group, led by Donnie Van Zant, the younger brother of Ronnie Van Zant and older brother of Johnny Van Zant. He was stone-cold Southern rock.

However, the band was also led by Don Barnes, who brought a more pop-rock feel to the group, and Barnes’ music, along with Jim Peterik of Survivor, helped produce some of their biggest pop tunes. This album is more Southern than pop, but it’s an interesting mix and probably an essential listen for people who want to discover what was happening as Southern rock headed into the big ’80s.

# 8 – Raunch ‘N’ Roll Live – Black Oak Arkansas

The Complete Raunch 'N' Roll Live (2-CD Set)

Everybody needs a little “Jim Dandy” in their lives, and I’m not talking about the Friendly’s ice cream sundae. Black Oak Arkansas’s live album, Raunch ‘N’ Roll Live, was so perfectly titled. These guys hit you in the face as hard as they could and just laughed at you. Released in February 1973, the album was produced by the great Tom Dowd. Raunch ‘N’ Roll Live was Southern rock and boogie at its finest.

Jim “Dandy” Mangrum led the band on lead vocals. Like many Southern rock bands, Black Oak Arkansas was driven by three guitarists: Rickie Reynolds, Harvey Jett, and Stanley Knight. Pat Daugherty played bass, and Tommy Aldridge was on drums.

Read More: Top 10 Black Oak Arkansas Songs

# 7 – Flirtin’ with Disaster – Molly Hatchet

Molly Hatchet was a Southern rock band in the ’80s, although their first two albums were released at the end of the seventies, including this one, released in 1979. The band’s first three albums, Molly Hatchet, Flirtin’ with Disaster, and Beatin’ the Odds, all went platinum, and all reached the Billboard 200, with Flirtin’ with Disaster peaking at number 19 as the highest-charting album of their career. This roaring Southern rock record took the genre to a new level, adding a heavier sound. People loved it.

Songs like “Whiskey Man,” “Gator Country,” “It’s All Over Now,” and “Flirtin’ with Disaster” must be heard. Danny Joe Brown led the album on vocals, with Dave Hlubek, Duane Roland, and Steve Holland on guitars, Banner Thomas on bass, and Bruce Crump on drums. These guys kicked butt.

Read More: 10 Essential Molly Hatchet Songs

# 6 – Drippin’ Wet – Wet Willie

Landing in the number six spot on our 10 Best Albums to Turn People On to Southern Rock list, we present an album from the marvelous band Wet Willie. Drippin’ Wet is a live album released by the group in March 1973 and recorded on New Year’s Eve in 1972. Wet Willie definitely hasn’t gotten the love they should have in classic rock history. This band took Southern rock, mixed it with a little bit of soul and blues, just like the Allman Brothers Band did, and created their own distinctive sound.

Jimmy Hall’s wonderful vocals and tremendous saxophone playing fueled the band. The lineup also featured Ricky Hirsch and Wick Larsen on guitars, John David Anthony on keyboards, Jack Hall on bass, and Lewis Ross on drums. Wet Willie is a band that you should definitely check out.

Read More: Top 10 Wet Willie Songs

# 5 – Fire on the Mountain – Charlie Daniels Band

I think if you asked many Charlie Daniels Band fans to name their favorite songs, there’d be a handful of them that you’d find on this album. Released in 1974, Fire on the Mountain featured a couple of the band’s biggest songs, including “The South’s Gonna Do It,” “Long Haired Country Boy,” and our favorite Charlie Daniels Band song of all time, “Trudy.” This is a spectacular Southern rock album led by Charlie Daniels on guitar, fiddle, and lead vocals.

While almost the entire album consists of studio recordings, the last two songs on side two, “No Place to Go” and “Orange Blossom Special,” were live recordings. This is a great one.

Read More: Top 10 Charlie Daniels Band Songs

# 4 – Where We All Belong – The Marshall Tucker Band

The Marshall Tucker Band’s album Where We All Belong is the first of two double albums on this list, and it consists of both live and studio material. This format was popular in the 1970s because it let bands release more music at once than a purely studio album. This is one of the best. Led by Doug Gray, Toy Caldwell, Tommy Caldwell, George McCorkle, Jerry Eubanks, and Paul Riddle, the band was on fire on this record.

It also featured additional guests who were legends in their own right, like Charlie Daniels playing fiddle on “24 Hours at a Time” and “This Ol’ Cowboy,” and the legendary Elvin Bishop playing slide guitar on “Where a Country Boy Belongs.” This rocking album belongs in everybody’s collection. It came in a great gatefold jacket with a spectacular black-and-white cover that felt good in your hands. Where We All Belong was released in 1974, with the live recording taking place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Read More: Top 10 Marshall Tucker Band Songs

# 3 – Bring It Back Alive – Outlaws

Bring It Back Alive is the first of three live albums in a row to close up this list. Southern rock is all about jamming, attitude, and performance, and that’s why these three live albums close out this list. The Outlaws were one of the most popular Southern rock bands. One of the reasons behind their popularity was this two-record set released in 1978.

They had already had hits before this, but the live version of “Green Grass and High Tides” put them over the top. The album also features great songs by the band, such as “Hurry Sundown,” “There Goes Another Love Song,” and “Stick Around for Rock and Roll.” Led by Hughie Thomasson on guitars and vocals, this man was a force to be reckoned with in the 1970s.

Read More: Top 10 Outlaws Albums

# 2 – Eat a Peach – The Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band’s Eat a Peach was released on February 12, 1972, less than four months after Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident on October 29, 1971. For those who don’t know, Eat a Peach is an album featuring studio recordings and live recordings captured at the Fillmore East. While the At Fillmore East double album is often regarded as a superior record and one of the greatest live albums of all time, for this list, we thought Eat a Peach would be more fitting due to the new recordings that featured an even more Southern flair.

Tracks like “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More,” “Blue Sky,” and “Melissa,” as well as the outstanding version of “Mountain Jam,” showcase this Southern essence. Duane Allman’s presence is felt throughout the record, particularly on the live material and on studio recordings including “Stand Back,” “Blue Sky,” and “Little Martha.” The album also includes studio tracks completed after his death. From the title to the cover design, the feel of the album jacket, the brilliant playing, and the wonderful songs, it all just screams Southern rock.

# 1 – One More From The Road – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More From The Road - MCA Records - 82.004-2

It doesn’t get more Southern rock than Lynyrd Skynyrd’s phenomenal live album One More from the Road. Recorded at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, One More from the Road defines Southern rock music at its finest. But it wasn’t just the songs, it was the performances. This was a band known for their rowdiness both on and off the stage.

Even when we interviewed Ted Nugent and asked him about what it was like performing with Lynyrd Skynyrd back in the ’70s, he pretty much said, well, off the stage, I stayed by myself because those guys were crazy. Those aren’t his exact words, but that’s pretty much how he summed it up.

We loved the original lineup of Skynyrd, and this album brought us much joy in the 1970s, and still does. I remember seeing them in the ’70s on that Ted Nugent tour, and when they played “Free Bird,” it was just one of those religious moments that you never forget as a kid.

The album is filled with all their best songs before Street Survivors, hits like “Workin’ for MCA,” “Tuesday’s Gone,” “Saturday Night Special,” “Gimme Three Steps,” the massive hit single “Sweet Home Alabama,” and, of course, a song that would become legendary from this album itself, “Free Bird.” If you want to turn people on to what Southern rock was all about in the 1970s, and you only had one chance, this is the album to put on that turntable of yours.