As late as their White Album, recorded in 1968, Ringo was singing in a country style, without a trace of irony, on his own composition Don’t Pass Me By – complete with country fiddle. The Beatles had all been fans of Owens since they’d picked up some of his records during their first US tour in 1964. played on electric instruments and with a solid backbeat. The Bakersfield style was country music influenced by rock i.e. Owens was an exponent of the Bakersfield style of country music, named after the California town where it had developed. The Beatles’ most overt country song, however, was their cover of Buck Owens’ Act Naturally, on Help. Throughout their career The Beatles wore their rockabilly influences with pride, and covered Carl Perkins’ Matchbox, Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby and Honey Don’t.Ĭountry music was sometimes at the forefront of The Beatles’ own compositions, too, such as on 1965’s What Goes On and Run For Your Life from their Rubber Soul album. Paul McCartney has described how he presented George Harrison to John Lennon as the kid who could play Bill Justis’ Raunchy, an early rockabilly hit on Sun records.

Over in England, The Beatles were huge fans of the rockabilly sound.

Soft country rock