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I want to compile some cd’s with songs that have a Southern feel. Now, living in Europe, I've never been there. So the feeling I have in mind probably only exists in my imagination. It's purely based on films, books and songs.

So, here's what I've got this far:

Songs From The South, Vol. 1

1. Eric Weisberg & Steve Mandell - Dueling Banjos - 1973
2. John Hiatt - Crossing Muddy Waters - 2000
3. Josh Turner - Way Down South - 2006
4. Buddy Jewel - Sweet Southern Comfort - 2003
5. Alabama - Dixieland Delight - 1983
6. Alan Jackson - Small Town Southern Man - 2007
7. Jerry Reed - Amos Moses - 1970
8. Tony Joe White - Polk Salad Annie - 1968
9. Brook Benton - Rainy Night In Georgia - 1969
10. Elvis Presley - Kentucky Rain - 1969
11. Dusty Springfield - Son Of A Preacher Man - 1968
12. Joe South - Walk A Mile In My Shoes - 1970
13. Billy Joe Royal - Down In The Boondocks - 1965
14. Bobbie Gentry - Ode To Billie Joe - 1967
15. Jeannie C. Riley - Harper Valley PTA - 1968
16. Allen Toussaint - Southern Nights - 1975
17. Neville Brothers - Yellow Moon - 1989
18. Dr. John - Right Place, Wrong Time - 1973
19. The Dixie Cups - Iko Iko - 1965
20. The Meters - Fire On The Bayou - 1975
21. Al Green - Take Me To The River - 1974
22. Little Feat - Dixie Chicken - 1973



Songs From The South, Vol. 2
1. Ann Peebles - I Can’t Stand The Rain - 1971
2. Mac Davis - Lucas Was A Redneck - 1974
3. Clarence Carter - Patches - 1970
4. Link Wray - Fire And Brimstone - 1971
5. The Louvin Brothers - Southern Moon - 1960
6. The Stanley Brothers - Rank Strangers - 1955
7. Marty Robbins - El Paso - 1959
8. Joe Ely - She Never Spoke Spanish To Me - 1977
9. Marshall Chapman - Leaving Loachapoka - 1982
10. Iris Dement - Our Town - 1992
11. Diana Jones - Better Times Will Come - 2009
12. Caroline Herring - Mistress - 2003
13. Dylan LeBlanc - If the Creek Don’t Rise - 2010
14. Larry Jon Wilson - Ohoopee River Bottomband - 1975
15. John Anderson - Seminole Wind - 1992
16. Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Southern Accents - 1985
17. Jamey Johnson - Stars In Alabama - 2008
18. Mavis Staples - Hard Times - 2004
19. The Band - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - 1969
20. Bobby Charles - Tennessee Blues – 2008

Any comments, additions or recommandations?

Try "Country Girl" by the " Carolina Chocolate Drops ".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVIaiADsyYo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVIaiADsyYo)

Thanks Beatnickle. Great tip.

Well, "the South" has a rich, fantastic musical legacy. The whole country, blues and gospel music as well as jazz have their roots in the south. So I think you need some Gospel and even there you have many different styles. In fact the Spirituals are probably the first thing you should look into as they are the foundation for everything that came behind.

Apart from that you could use almost every recording of Tony Joe White from the late 60s/early 70s. Try youtube to check out some of his stuff. And look for Jerry Lee Lewis' recordings (not just the Sun recordings - this one would fit: http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Roots-The-Original-Sessions/dp/B00DDTKEP6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385143322&sr=8-1&keywords=jerry+lee+lewis+southern+roots).
If you want to have some mostly accoustic-sounding "country-blues/rock" you should take a listen to Elvis' mid-60s non soundtrack recordings like "Guitar man" Too much monkey business" "Tomorrow is a long time" and his gospel album "How great thou art". His '71 recording of "I, John" also comes to mind as well as the whole "He touched me"-album.
"Saturday night down south" by the Charlie Daniels Band is certainly fitting.
Joe Tex has a lot of great funk/soul/country infused recordings.
Carl Perkins' recordings before the 70s are also great. Apart from each one of his Sun-singles, "Restless" "Cotton top" "Georgia court room" "Sorry Charlie" "You can take the boy out of the country" "Lake county cotton country" come to mind.
John Fogerty's "Joy of my life" on his "Blue moon swamp" album is a great dobro based song.

And this whole album: http://www.amazon.com/Same-Train-A-Different-Time/dp/B003LLRR2E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1385057318&sr=8-2&keywords=merle+haggard+same+train

Or do you mean songs that in some way reference southern cities/names?


Too much stuff that could and should be covered to get it all onto a compilation.

Maybe this will lead you to some more infos:
http://www.nodepression.com/

Some great suggestions. Thanks. I'll go searchin' after them.

Can't forget the Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker, Charlie Daniels, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Aretha, pretty much everything that came out on Stax/Volt/Atlantic...

And maybe REM, B-52s, Daniel Johnston...from the South but not typically "Southern".

Bob Wills:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X37xnM3VYH0

and here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svax8cPSK6E

What Alex said. A "Songs of the South" comp falls flat without a song by any of those guys. And add Skynyrd too.

Hank Williams WAS Country music. He was all of it. Everybody else were just his messengers.

Forget Skynyrd (and please please also stay away from Molly Hatchet and .38 Special), that's pushing it into "redneck" territory...just as bad as including Toby Keith IMO.