5 Legendary Southern Rock Bands That Came From The ’70s

Although its roots can be traced back to the ’50s and ’60s, Southern rock peaked during the 1970s. Thanks to several groups who brought the music to the mainstream audience, the genre soon gained a massive following and dominated the decade. Here are some of the bands that debuted and were propelled to international stardom in the 1970s:

The Marshall Tucker Band

Their original lineup formed in 1972 and in 1973, they signed with Capricorn Records and dropped their self-titled debut LP which was eventually certified gold. Throughout the ’70s, they played around 300 shows per year and it wasn’t long before they became giants in Southern rock. Charlie Daniels recalled that the band “came onstage and just blew it out from start to finish.”

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd formed in 1964 as My Backyard and spent a couple of years touring BUT it took them awhile to land a record deal. It wasn’t until 1973 when they finally released their debut album. Title (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd), it helped catapult them to national stardom thanks to songs like Free Bird, Simple Man, Tuesday’s Gone, and Gimme Three Steps which further popularized Southern rock.

Wet Willie

They used to be the opening act of fellow Southern rock group Allman Brothers Band. With their soulful music, they quickly became one of the best known acts in the genre. They wore their influences on their sleeves and although they had several singles that charted, they only had one top 10 hit – 1974’s Keep On Smilin’.

ZZ Top

They formed in 1969 and were originally rooted in blues but their sound evolved. For over five decades, ZZ Top has become one of rock’s most reliable institutions. They cemented their spot in the Southern rock pantheon with a series of classic hits which have aged fairly well. Throughout the course of their extensive career, they never shied away from trying different things and reinventing themselves.

Molly Hatchet

Formed in 1971, they rose to fame with their own brand of Southern rock. Two of their albums – their self-titled debut album and 1979’s Flirtin’ with Disaster – were certified multi-platinum records. In addition, they racked up several hits throughout the ’70s and early ’80s.