Blackberry Smoke is, from left, Richard Turner, Charlie Starr, Brit Turner, Paul Jackson and Brandon Still.IF YOU GOWhat: Blackberry Smoke.When: Today, 7:45-9 p.m.Where: Riverbend, Bud Light Stage.Admission: Free with festival pin.
Despite their love of bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker and The Allman Brothers, the members of Blackberry Smoke prefer not to be corralled into the Southern rock camp.
With at-times twangy, at-times raucously wailing vocals and chicken-fried, occasionally funky guitar licks, the Atlanta-based quartet comfortably straddles the fence between rock and country.
When it comes to labels, however, they prefer a more free-range definition — one that encompasses their equal devotion to bluegrass greats such as Bill Monroe and classic rock legends Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones.
“Our favorite bands, … they all did different things,” said lead singer Charlie Starr in a recent phone interview. “They didn’t limit themselves to one thing they might do.