3 Southern Rock Songs From the 1980s That Prove Three Guitars Are Better Than One
American Songwriter has published a listicle spotlighting three southern rock tracks from the 1980s that showcase the genre's signature use of multiple guitarists working in tandem. The piece argues that layering two or three guitar parts, rather than relying on a single lead, gave these songs their distinctive powerhouse sound and helped define the southern rock style of the era. It is one of a series of similar "best of" music lists the outlet regularly publishes.
The three songs featured are .38 Special's "Hold On Loosely" and "Rough Housin'", and Molly Hatchet's 1980 hit "Flirtin' With Disaster". .38 Special's guitar lineup often included Don Barnes, Jeff Carlisi and Jim Peterik, whose interplay is highlighted on both tracks, while Molly Hatchet's three-guitar arrangement is credited with giving "Flirtin' With Disaster" its driving, high-energy feel. The article frames all three as examples of how multi-guitar arrangements elevated southern rock beyond what a single guitarist could achieve.
- Article lists three 1980s southern rock songs with multi-guitar arrangements.
- Featured tracks: .38 Special's two songs and Molly Hatchet's hit.
- Highlights how layered guitars shaped the southern rock sound.
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Southern rock, which grew out of the American South in the late 1960s and 1970s, is a style of rock music that blends blues, country and boogie influences, often built around extended guitar work. A defining feature of the genre is its use of multiple lead guitarists playing off one another within the same band, rather than the more conventional single-guitarist setup common in other rock styles.
Bands such as .38 Special and Molly Hatchet, both prominent in the genre during the 1980s, regularly featured three guitarists at once, allowing them to layer interlocking riffs and harmonies. This approach became one of the genre's signature traits and shaped how southern rock songs were written and performed during that period.