Most Influential American Musician of All Time?


Who do you regard as the most influential (i.e., musically, not necessarily commercially) American musician of all time across all genres?

The more I learn about Louis Armstrong, the more I am persuaded that he deserves that honor.
jeffreybowman2k

Showing 2 responses by duanegoosen

Dunno about all time...but how many rock guitarists (conciously or not) haven't absorbed Jimi Hendrix.

Thelonious Monk may not be a household commodity but he added alot of vocabulary and his influence on some of todays great players runs deep.
As Aldavis indicated Albert King was inclined to think with an organ that wasn't between his ears. He never used alot of the gear Hendrix used or had any idea of what Jimi was doing in the studio. King sure as hell never put out anything remotely resembling Electric Ladyland. SRV was a good guitarist, but was obviously for the most part a Hendrix vessel. Most pre Hendrix blues influenced guitarists (Eddie Guitar Slim was a mind blowing exception) were barely on the same planet. Take King out of the picture and there was still a huge reservoir of blues guitar to build on and transform.

Don Van Vliet swiped stuff from alot of different places and may not be the most influential U S musician but he sure changed the rules and opened alot of doors for other musicians.