Mt. Rushmore of Music

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Ask this question yesterday and Prince isn't in the top 20.

Well, since he wasn't dead yet, I guess you're correct.

America music only (since it's Rushmore): Louis Armstrong. Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Sr., and Buddy Holly.

I probably should include Michael Jackson, but I'm not going to.

 

[Been Jammin]

Well, since he wasn't dead yet, I guess you're correct.

America music only (since it's Rushmore): Louis Armstrong. Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Sr., and Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan died? Damn, what a crappy 48 hrs.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Bob Dylan died? Damn, what a crappy 48 hrs.

Duh! He's been dead for years

 

[Anodyne]

Elvis, Hank, Louis Armstrong, Grand Master Flash.

I would do a little creative chiseling to change Armstrong to Aretha when she passes. It's crazy talk to have a monument to American music and not include hip-hop, so I picked the most foundational dead guy I could think of. A few living artists would be more deserving, for example Chuck D.

 

[N. Pappagiorgio]

He was still alive, so, yeah, you're right.

Solid point.

 

[MajorMike_Ret]

 

[parlayn_poke]

Quick question... Those of you listing Elvis, do any of you actually listen to Elvis? I ask because I enjoy a lot of music and musicians across most every genre from the 50's to present and I've never understood the Elvis craze. Was it primarily generated by his provocative dancing for the times? I was born in '83, FWIW.

 

[MegaPoke]

Quick question... Those of you listing Elvis, do any of you actually listen to Elvis? I ask because I enjoy a lot of music and musicians across most every genre from the 50's to present and I've never understood the Elvis craze. Was it primarily generated by his provocative dancing for the times? I was born in '83, FWIW.

Setting aside the fact that he was very talented and an excellent entertainer with a unique, powerful, high range range voice with fantastic vocal dynamics and tone, he was very marketable as a bridge between black music and white teenagers because he could groove the hips but also because he was a pretty boy. The guy was the whole package.

Seems obvious.

 

[Ostatedchi]

"He could sing Dixie and make black people get proud. He was that good." That was a quote from my dad. The guy could sing like no other.

 

[MajorMike_Ret]

He was the first superstar. Sure maybe it was timing because tv was just growing too but e took advantage.

Add in that he served in the army after his stardom and came back even bigger thus adding to his myth and mystique.

And yeah, if you look past the shaking hips and the snarling lips the guy could sing.

His catalog is a lot like the Beatles, as far as he had a ton of #1s that you have never heard before and likely might not again.

Don't fall asleep on the toilet, man.

 

[hollywood]

major mike - Elvis the first 'superstar"?

I think ol' blue eyes would probably have you pistol whipped by Sammy and Deano for making that claim.

BTW, there's three great American composers that certainly should be up for consideration: George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein and Elmore Bernstein (no relation to Leonard.)

And certainly you shouldn't look past our own American "Royalty" the Duke of Ellington and the Count of Basie.

I'll be the first to admit, when you start looking at lists like this, the first instinct seems to be give more "weight" to that music and those performers that you are more familiar and those from earlier days don't get the consideration to which they are deserving.

So a guy like George M Cohan, who hit his peak circa WWI just isn't going to get pushed to the front of the line, like perhaps a Michael Jackson will, even though arguably he had much more influence over shaping American music than Jackson.

 

[latimdj]

Well since this is all personal opinion:

Elvis, Cash, Waylon, Mick Jagger

I am not putting a child molester on my musical Mount Rushmore is why MJ didn't make it.

Prince, god rest his soul, did not have very many hits post 1990....he was a superstar in the 80's no doubt.... and his super bowl half time show was one of the best ever.

Lennon has a strong argument, I just relate to Waylon more than to Lennon.

Louis Armstrong has a good argument.... same story, I just relate to Waylon better.

 

[GoPokes43]

When did Mick Jagger die? He's also from the UK; same goes for Lennon.

Who is Waylon? Waylon Jenning?

 

[CowboyJD]

Cash, Prince, Sinatra, Miles Davis (or Charlie Parker)

 

[HighStickHarry]

I will let Al speak for me