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Lyndon Wise's avatar

Outstanding article!

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Robert Burke Warren's avatar

Hell yes! Thanks so much for the detail, the context, and the props to so much important music. So many of these artists offer a distinct sense of place, both lyrically and sonically. Much maligned and misunderstood, but nevertheless funky (a lot of it) and, when seen in the light and in clear hindsight, essential.

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Peter Molloy's avatar

Thanks for the awesome read!

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Andy Sneed's avatar

Good article! Thanks!

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Abandoned Albums Podcast's avatar

Great piece. I've been looking forward to this as I do love me some southern fried rock (wasn't that a K-Tel album). Fun fact about .38 Special... actress Katy Segal (Married with Children, Sons of Anarchy) sang backup for the band. Watch the video for "Wild Eyed Southern Boys" and you'll catch a glimpse. I thought this comment about the Confederate flag was so succinct, well said, and so true - "lazy shorthand for the South." Can't wait for part 2.

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Michael Elliott's avatar

Ha! I had that K-Tel 'Southern Fried Rock' comp as well as its "sequel" in '83, 'Rock, Southern Style'!

Great call on Segal. I knew she'd been a singer, but didn't know specifically that she'd worked with them. Add to that Springsteen falling for his first wife while watching the "If I'd Been the One" video and you've got a good dose of what Jon Wurster calls "rock'n'roll weirdness" for sure.

Thanks for reading!

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NagsHeadLocal's avatar

The Dixie Dregs, along with Sea Level, never really got the attention they deserved I have always thought. Saw them often in the NC Triangle club scene along with the B-52s and Mitch Easter's various projects. Ed King was playing in a house band in Greenville and teaching guitar lessons when I arrived in town. How a southern Californian ended up in what was then a very small town before joining Lynyrd Skynerd will forever remain a mystery as he passed away while working on his memoirs. Thanks for this post - whiile I sometimes cringe when I hear the term "Southern Rock" there was a lot of good music behind the bombast. If you have a chance, the two documentaries "If I Should Leave Here Tomorrow" and "Song of the South: Duane Allman and the Allman Bros" are well worth your time.

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Michael Elliott's avatar

Hearing Marcus King covering Sea Level a few weeks ago in Raleigh was the best part of the show.

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Hugh Jones's avatar

Excellent post, so much detail! And astute observations of how music changed going into the 1980s, and why. I look forward to diving into the playlist - I'm a big ABB & Skynyrd fan, but have only passing familiarity with most of the other artists there. Thank you.

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Michael Elliott's avatar

Thanks for reading and happy hunting!

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