20 Country Albums Every Rock Fan Should Listen To

Okay...now it just starts getting weird. First there's a country album written by a British superstar, now we have a country record written by a mostly Canadian act? Contrary to all the signs that point to other genres of music, the Band gave us one of the most enduring country rock records with Music From Big Pink.

It's not like these guys didn't have their chops down before they started, with them being a staple on the live circuit as Bob Dylan's backing band. Instead of riding off the coattails of one of the greatest lyricists in rock and roll, these guys really make these songs their own on tracks like The Weight and Long Black Veil. Even with Dylan contributing a handful of his own tunes to the mix and designing the album sleeve, this is a far different beast, complete with some of the most heavenly harmonies you will ever find on a record.

While most of the record is filled with some of the Band's own originals, the way they inhabit these songs make them feel like common tunes that have been sung for hundreds of years, as Levon Helm delivers some of the most gut-wrenching stories of heartache ever made. Though there's a certain level of pretension and lack of thought in calling yourselves The Band, don't let that distract you from the subtle beauty in between these guitar chords.