Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts at the Kensington Gore Hotel, where they staged a mock-medieval banquet for the launch of their new album 'Beggars Banquet', 5th December 1968
Singles And Albums “This is where we had to pull out our good stuff. And we did”: Beggars Banquet – the album that made the Rolling Stones
Peter Green
Artists Black Magic Woman: the legendary song that passed from Peter Green to Carlos Santana
Steve Morse poses in the studio with his Ernie Ball Music Man signature model – not the guitar synth at the bridge.
Artists “Nobody can play better than that guy, man!”: Steve Morse on the supernatural powers of Petrucci, Johnson and Blackmore
steve cropper
Artists "One of the hardest things I ever had to do was mix that song": A music professor breaks down Steve Cropper and Otis Redding's (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay
Elton John and Davey Johnstone perform at the piano during their 2012 tour, with Johnstone playing the Les Paul Custom 'Black Beauty' that John originally bought for himself, but gave it to Johnstone after the band had all their gear stolen.
Artists Davey Johnstone on guitar shopping with Elton John – and how he ended up with his iconic Les Paul Custom
Tom Morello
Artists How Tom Morello used his guitar to drill into the off-limits domain of the turntablist
Steve Cropper in 2007
Artists “My mom said, ‘I’ll lend you a quarter if you become a guitar player.’ I think I did!”: Steve Cropper dies aged 84
Justin Hawkins
Artists “He wanted it to sound tinny, so he literally put the mic in a tin”: When The Darkness teamed up with Queen’s producer
A PRS McCarty 594 on a hard case
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars 2025: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
The Power Station
Artists “The most expensive bit of drumming in history”: When stars of Duran Duran and Chic formed a decadent ’80s supergroup
John Mayer
Artists “It wasn’t anywhere close to being a single”: The classic track that defines John Mayer as a guitarist and a songwriter
Fender and Jackson's Iron Maiden 50th Anniversary Collection: FMIC has unveiled a signature guitar and bass collection to celebrate 50 years of the British metal institution.
Artists Fender and Jackson celebrate 50 years of Iron Maiden with limited run signature collection
Vanilla Fudge
Artists “We could have been as big as Led Zeppelin”: The heavy rock innovators whose drummer was a star before John Bonham
Gretsch Electromatic CVT Double-Cut in Wychwood greenburst finish
Electric Guitars "For garage, punk, and rock styles, it’s got the tonal firepower on offer": Gretsch Electromatic CVT Double-Cut review
Van Morrison
Artists How Van Morrison recorded his greatest song
More
  • "The most expensive bit of drumming in history”
  • JoBo x Fuchs
  • Radiohead Daydreaming
  • Vanilla Fudge
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Artists

Black Stone Cherry's 9 best Southern rock riffs and solos

News
By Claire Davies published 13 May 2014

From Lynyrd Skynyrd to ZZ Top

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Introduction

Introduction

If there's one modern band who know their Southern rock onions, it has to be Black Stone Cherry. Purveyors of hard rock with a delectable Southern twang, this hard hitting four-piece have been converting minor crowds into masses with their infectious aural brew since releasing their debut in 2006.

Here, guitarist Ben Wells runs us through a sizzlin' selection of Southern rock riffs and solos, choosing nine of his favourites that embody the power, spirit and vibe of this great genre.

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Song: Freebird

Song: Freebird

"As cliché as it may sound, this is the granddaddy of all southern rock songs, especially the solos. You just can't beat the three guitar attack, the lyrics, the melody... There's a reason why everyone requests this song at every show!"

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Song: Born On The Bayou

Song: Born On The Bayou

"I love this band, I love John Fogerty. Although from California, Creedence Clearwater Revival is an excellent southern rock band. The lyrical content mixed with the swampy guitar riffs is something that never gets old."

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Song: Tush

Song: Tush

“This excellent riff is by one of the South's greatest boogie bands. They showcase the classic southern Texas swing with rock 'n' roll. Gibbons is an insane player and his feel is untouchable.”

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Song: Midnight Rider

Song: Midnight Rider

“The riff in this song is very catchy and the melody is infectious. The harmonies are great and the solo is just perfect. It just puts you in a certain vibe.”

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Song: Mississippi Queen

Song: Mississippi Queen

"Another band that wasn't from the South but truly had that Southern spirit. Leslie West's voice and guitar are undeniable. The cowbell, the riff... It's the whole package."

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Song: Train, Train

Song: Train, Train

"This is a classic hard rock Southern rock riff. I would love for us to jam this sometime. Rickey Medlocke is awesome (one of my faves) and his voice is top notch on this song."

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Song: Can't You See

Song: Can't You See

"Everyone knows and loves this song - it's a staple in Southern rock music. We covered it on our third album because it showcases the southern influence in our band. Great harmonies, too."

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Song: Flirtin' With Disaster

Song: Flirtin' With Disaster

"If you've ever heard a southern rock song, you've heard this one. Another band with an undeniable voice, this tune is perfect for redneck living!"

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Song: Sweet Home Alabama

Song: Sweet Home Alabama

"The only reason this is number 9 is because any Southern rock list show starts and ends with Lynyrd Skynyrd! No matter what type of music you listen to, you've all heard that Stratocaster riff."

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Claire Davies
Read more
Lynyrd Skynyrd
“We said, ‘We’re calling the band Leonard Skinner!’ Everybody laughed. So we kept it”: The early days of Lynyrd Skynyrd
 
 
Derek Trucks takes a slide solo on his Gibson SG as Tedeschi Trucks Band performs live at Madison Square Garden.
Derek Trucks is one of the greatest slide players of all time – here’s how he decides when to use it
 
 
Lynyrd Skynyrd
“The record company said, ‘It’s too long.’ But we said, ‘We don’t care!’”: How Lynyrd Skynyrd created a legendary epic
 
 
Pantera
“No Pro Tools, no tricks. We helped change the production of heavy metal records”: Pantera's revolutionary anthem
 
 
Ace Frehley on stage with Kiss in 1979
“All I did was crank it up to 10 and start to rock and roll!”: The 10 greatest Ace Frehley songs from his days with Kiss
 
 
Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde tear it up onstage in 1989. Ozzy is shirtless. Wylde his shirtless, too – and he plays his bullseye graphic Les Paul.
“That actually came from me and Oz jamming on the piano in my apartment in North Hollywood”: From Ozzy Osbourne to Papa Roach, Fleetwood Mac to George Harrison, here's 5 career-defining songs you didn’t know were written on the piano
 
 
Latest in Artists
Liam Gallagher (L) and Noel Gallagher (R) of Oasis perform during the opening night of their Live 25' Tour at Principality Stadium on July 04, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales
“Noel has said, ‘No rest for the immensely talented'”: Gem Archer on the chances about future Oasis activity
 
 
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift names her favourite Taylor Swift song… but she’s going to need some time to come up with her top 5
 
 
Lily Allen
“I’m definitely having some conversations about it”: Lily Allen’s West End Girl album could end up… in the West End
 
 
Guitarist and vocalist Stu Mackenzie of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard performs live on stage kicking up his leg and sticking out his tongue during Primavera Sound 2022
“Seriously wtf – we are truly doomed”: King Gizzard leave Spotify to be replaced by AI clones
 
 
Mick Jagger And Norman Cook- Fatboy Slim- At The David Bowie Party At Pop, Soho Street, London
“It is thoroughly road tested and fit for purpose”: Fatboy Slim’s Satisfaction Skank bootleg is finally released
 
 
Kiss
“There’s a lot in the works for Kiss moving ahead”: Guitarist Tommy Thayer says Kiss could make new music in the future
 
 
Latest in News
Spotify djay
Just in time for the party season, Spotify is finally back in iOS and Android DJing apps
 
 
dnksaus
Stuck for ideas in Ableton Live? This free Max for Live device could snap you out of writer's block
 
 
JHS Pedals x Electro-Harmonix Big Muff 2: This limited edition fuzz pedal was created from a long-lost blueprint that was unearthed while researching the upcoming book about the NYC pedal brand.
Electro-Harmonix and JHS Pedals team up for a Big Muff based on schematic that had been lying forgotten for 50 years
 
 
Crazy Tube Circuits Orama: the orange/peach coloured pedal combines classic preamp and fuzz circuits and promises a wide range of sounds
Crazy Tube Circuits squeezes out another sweet twofer with the Orama preamp/fuzz pedal
 
 
push
Ableton and Arturia reign supreme as Reverb reveals best-selling synths, samplers and drum machines of 2025
 
 
Strymon Fairfax Class A Output Drive: the first in the Series A range, this is an all-analogue pedal inspired by the Herzog unit made famous by Randy Bachman
Strymon debuts Series A analogue pedals range with the Fairfax – a “chameleon” drive that can “breathe fire”
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...