Which band IS really America's Greatest (rock & roll band)?

@sunnyd, thanks for the reminder. I haven't heard the new NRBQ lineup, of which only pianist Terry Adams remains from the original members. Drummer Tom Ardolino passed away a few years ago, bassist Joey Spampinato (a great one, one of my all-time faves. Keith Richards agrees, hiring him for the band in his Chuck Berry documentary) is in treatment for Cancer, and guitarist Al Anderson moved to Nashville and is now a full time songwriter. My comment above referred to the period when Joey's brother Johnny took Al's place on guitar. Johnny's okay, but he's no Al Anderson!

I love the 19th Century lyrical themes from "The Band".  The historical ballads, the old-time sound, the small-town feel and their forlorn, back-woods style of singing are steeped in tradition, e.g., "Acadian Driftwood", "Cripple Creek", and "The Night....Old Dixie...", come to mind as spiritual and redeeming.  

Similarly, Robert Hunter's lyrics with the Dead often speak of Appalachian folks, oppressed laborers, miners, winos and hoboes--but also of lonely burdens and spiritual rescue. With lyrics such as "I live in a silver mine and I call it Beggar's Tomb"; "Goddamn, well I declare, have you seen the like? Their wall are built of cannonballs, their motto is 'Don't Tread On Me'"; "Tumble down shack in Bigfoot County, snowed so hard, the roof caved in"; "Now I don't know, but I been told, if the horse don't pull you got to carry the load".  And yes, the GD could sing well--better in different periods of their long history.  Listen to "Jack Straw" from Europe '72 for a live example.    
 

NRBQ? I’d never heard of them, saw that many folks here consider them The Best American band ever, so just googled them. WHAT???? Are you f’ing joking??? No wonder this country is in the mess it's in :)
Lordy. Lordy, Lordy me!!! LMFAO :)

George   Thorogood & The Destroyers
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Jefferson Airplane
Mountain
(live) Stevie Wonder
and every band that gets your motor runnin'

Big Brother and the Holding Company with Janis Joplin at the helm. Their one album at the Fillmore West was bold, brash and outstanding in every way, and in my opinion outshines all other American groups of much longer duration.

Beach Boys were great too for a fairly long period. I liked Hendrix’s Band of Gypsies as well as Mike Bloomfield’s not as well known The Electric Flag, who were self-titled "An American Band". No complaints about CCR or the Allman Bros’ either. Billy Joel, whom I don’t really care for, should get an honorable mention for having played our high school with the Hassles, a local Long Island group from Hicksville, one town over.

No need for any more replies, as this is obviously the definitive take on America’s greatest R&R band. Accept no substitutes. Love,

Mike