I more than kinda want this...

[uwe]

Ok then: American folk music influenced pop? Is there really that much a difference?

Country - not just Blues - co-spawned rock'n'roll and you have to be a purist to deny that non-"true country" bands like CSN&Y and The Eagles, Poco, what have you, don't have a strong country influence just like a band like Ten Years After had a strong blues influence.

I think Hank Williams could have covered Don Henley's/Glen Frey's Lyin' Eyes (had the song been around earlier) in the Grand Old Opry without being bottled off stage. 

Country, like any music, evolves and takes new influences on board. Saying that Garth Brooks isn't (or: wasn't) Country is a bit like saying Mary J. Blige isn't a Rhythm and Blues singer because of her pop influences.

Being listed on the country charts and wearing a stetson did not make Garth Brooks a (New) Country star, but the chordal structures of his songwriting, the instrumentation and the lyrical themes certainly did.

[patman]

to this day, Poco and Pure Prairie League are my favorites...70's hippie country music...and don't forget Emmylou Harris...

Back in the 70's Earl Scruggs and his sons came around a lot, also.

Not a lot of threads start with a shipping mishap...then go to meat panties...then to country music.

[gweimer]

Since we're going there, don't forget that The Byrds turned down that country road, as well.  The original version of this song is what I prefer to the more well known one.



(the only studio version I could find on YouTube)

[uwe]

Gram Parsons!

But I even here (old) Country influences in Bill Haley's Rock around the Clock.

[Stjofön Big]

Yeah, almost forgot The Byrds Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Great record. And while we're at it; The Beatles Act Naturally or What Goes On! Ringo, every bass players wet dream!

[Hornisse]

I have a country mix CD that has, among others:

George Jones
Freddy Fender
Ronnie Milsap
Lynn Anderson
Donna Fargo
Eddie Rabbit
Alabama
Waylon
Charlie Rich

That is the kind of country music I like.  I do like looking at Carrie Underwood!

[Dave W]

But I even here (old) Country influences in Bill Haley's Rock around the Clock.

That may be because they were Bill Haley and the Saddlemen before they were Bill Haley and the Comets. No doubt that rock was at least as much influenced by country as by blues. All you have to do is listen to a lot of 50s rockabilly to be convinced.

I'm no purist, I just don't think that wearing a hat makes you a country singer. The music has to be there. There's no pure anything, everything is influenced somehow by one or more other genres.

[the mojo hobo]

I'm no purist, I just don't think that wearing a hat makes you a country singer.

No, you need the boots too.

[Lightyear]

Don't forget the belt buckle - extra cowboy mojo if you have a belt with your name on the back of it   Double mojo if your name is Junior of Beau/Bo/Beaux

[Freuds_Cat]

CCR is another country influenced band IMO.  I'm not particularly enamoured by country or western music    but I play a lot of music influenced by that genre with the Crocs.  Influences are just that. Weather or not they are dominant enough to claim a particular band or song is up to the listener I guess.

[Dave W]

CCR? I always thought of them as heavily R&B influenced (in the sense of 50s-60s R&B, not what's called that today). Not country at all to my ears.

[Freuds_Cat]

As I say Dave, different ppl hear different influences. My work mates cant believe you cant hear the country in it. LOL. 

They offer as an example  "looking out my back door".

[Stjofön Big]

Have to agree with Mr Freud. Bad moon rising is another one of their country hits. On the other hand there was a whole bunch of country in the rockabilly tunes. Hey, even Roy Orbison was in the game, and Dylan was very close to country as early as on his first record (thinking of the tune Freight train blues). Though it took some years before he committed himself wholeheartedly to the subject on the fantastic Nashville skyline.
Yesterday night I saw the country music movie Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges. Quite nice, though very raw at times, eventually. The ending of the movie could have been wrapped in syrup, but that was avoided. For which I'm grateful.

[uwe]

Dave, you are so unblievably right, there is no country influence whatsoever in CCR, especially this song:






- It's drenched with minor harmonies, totally uncountry.

- That strange stuff the drummer does with the brushes, that ain't country drummin' at all!

- The way the guitars are played. I think they call it "strummin'", typical for most modern jazz rock. No open chords either, full frontal power chording as far as I can see!

- The bass is obviously lifted off a James Brown record - dig that syncopated stuff!

- The guitar solo. Unimaginable on a country record, sheer heavy metal. He's using the notes of the song's chords to solo - country guitarists never ever do that, they play phrygian modes mostly. Plus the way it sounds, ultra-distorted and compressed, not really trying to emulate a steel guitar at all. I think.

- The lyrics, no country song could have them:

"Just got home from Illinois, lock the front door, oh boy!
Got to sit down, take a rest on the porch.
Imagination sets in, pretty soon I'm singin',
Doo, doo, doo, Lookin' out my back door."

Of course, while writing this post I was under the influence of whatever John Fogerty was taking when he wrote it:

"There's a giant doing cartwheels, a statue wearin' high heels.
Look at all the happy creatures dancing on the lawn.
Got a sore shoulder, list'ning to Buck Owens

CHORUS

Tambourines and elephants are playing in the band.
Won't you take a ride on the flyin' spoon?
Doo, doo doo.
Wond'rous apparition provided by magician."

Or perhaps a circus came to town.

[the mojo hobo]

And that CCR clip is intro'ed by John Hartford another R&B great.

You guys need to stop pickin' nits. The lines are all blurry. Country, Blues, Bluegrass and Folk all music of the common man, all this music grew up together and were influenced by each other. And any of them when played with electric guitars are Rock and Roll.