Roots rock

Roots Rock is a sometimes vaguely-defined genre of rock music that draws on early rock and roll, blues music, country music or country rock, and other related forms.

Related Topics:
Rock music - Rock and roll - Blues music - Country music - Country rock

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One of the bands leading the Americana (or alt.country) movement along with Uncle Tupelo and its subsequent iterations was The V-Roys.

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In the late 1990s, the V-Roys, consisting of Scott Miller, Mic Harrison, and Paxton Sellers, could be found in Knoxville, Tennessee. The band broke up after a December 31, 1999 show at the Tennessee theatre, as was promised in a farewell letter from Jeff Bills. Scott Miller produced a solo acoustic record containing a mix of V-Roys tunes and a number of tunes that would eventually be placed on records put out by his new new band, Scott Miller & The Commonwealth. Bills began Lynn Point Records, and Mic Harrison joined up with Knoxville rock and roll band Superdrag for a short stint before that band called it quits.

Related Topics:
The V-Roys - Knoxville, Tennessee - December 31 - 1999 - Scott Miller - Scott Miller & The Commonwealth - Lynn Point Records - Mic Harrison - Superdrag

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Another, lesser known Knoxville roots rock is University of Tennessee rock history professor and musician Todd Steed. Steed has directed a number of Knoxville roots rock bands including Apelife, The Opposable Thumbs, and Todd Steed and the Suns of Phere. As if to prove that they haven't been merely hiding out in East Tennessee for the past decade, The Suns of Phere played the June 2005 Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.

Related Topics:
Todd Steed - Apelife - The Opposable Thumbs - Todd Steed and the Suns of Phere - Bonnaroo Music Festival - Manchester, Tennessee

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Other notable roots rockers include:

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Ryan Adams; Whiskeytown; Wilco (primarily on their earlier recordings); Son Volt; Uncle Tupelo; Steve Earle; The Supersuckers; The Bottle Rockets; The Old 97's; The Black Crowes; The Allman Brothers Band; Little Feat; and countless others.

Related Topics:
Ryan Adams - Whiskeytown - Wilco - Son Volt - Uncle Tupelo - Steve Earle - The Supersuckers - The Bottle Rockets - The Old 97's - The Black Crowes - The Allman Brothers Band - Little Feat

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Excellent roots rock commentary can be found in No Depression, and generally in Uncut, a British magazine with some love for Americana.

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PBS's Austin City Limits series usually hosts excellent alt.country, americana, or roots rock acts, and the city of Austin, Texas, hosts an annual Austin City Limits music festival.

Related Topics:
PBS - Austin City Limits - Austin, Texas

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Bruce Kidder, the morning DJ for KHYI, The Range broadcasting from in Plano, Texas, plays an excellent selection of americana and classic country. You can listen here. A big plus is that if you call the station, Bruce will answer in person.

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