Top 5 - Rock Trios

I always wanted to be in a really big band, like James Brown full band, big. Bonus points if it’s a funk band, with horns, back-up singers, dual lead, a drummer and a separate percussionist. Too bad I can’t play anything. But, for those that actually can play or sing, who needs a full ass band! Guitar, drums and bass is really all you need right, if at least one of them can actually sing. And, there are plenty of bands throughout rock and roll history that have only had three members and are some of the best bands! Here are my Top 5!

5. The Crickets Yes, people only remember Buddy Holly, with That’ll Be The Day, Peggy Sue and Oh, Boy. The other two members, Jerry Allison and Joe B. Mauldin were inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2012. True rock and roll trailblazers.

4. The Supremes The most successful act on one of the most successful record labels, Motown. With a fantastic twelve number one hits like: Baby Love, Come See About Me, and Where Did Our Love Go. Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard.

3. Cream Considered rock and roll’s first Super Group, they shot out like a rocket and came back to earth just a few short years later with only four albums to their name. White Room, Badge, Sunshine of Your Love, et. al!

2. ZZ Top The little ol’ band from Texas consisted of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard for most of their tenure. Their bluesy Texas rock blew the lid off of everything with a string of great albums in the 70’s, then blew the doors off the charts (and MTV) with the albums Eliminator and Afterburner.

1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience famously, Hendrix and his bassist didn’t get a long and Hendrix was always ready to move on, but not before the band released three terrific albums, the final, Electric Ladyland, a double.

Honorable mentions: Genesis, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Sublime, Green Day, Motorhead, Nirvana, Sleater Kinney, Stray Cats, Beastie Boys, and, of course, Rush.