Reviews

Are You Ready for the Country: Elvis, Dylan, Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock, by Peter Doggett

skypager21's review

2.0

Fairly informative. In the late 60s the electric folk music of the Byrds met the Grand Ole Opry. As a genre, music criticism usually degenerates rather quickly into a monotonous repetition of names and studio sessions. I swear Hank Williams is mentioned every other paragraph. Pretty enjoyable read if you're a fan of country/rock music. A lot on Gram Parsons, whom I'm not really a fan. Wished there had been more on the early 50s blues and rockabilly pioneered by Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Ike Turner, and Sam Phillips. Also gave country music in the 50s/60s short thrift. But he covered a lot of ground, so I can't complain too much. And this book is specifically country rock, not rock, not country, but that strange mixture of Americana.