Best American band/artist?

[JuJu Kwan]

Any genre.

[Larryz]

Too many favorites to list LOL! But, I guess my favorite band would be The Eagles. I'm glad Vince Gill is coming in for Glenn Frey to keep things going. I think he does a very good job...for artists, I'll go with Elvis. For guitarists I'll go with Tommy Emmanuel...these may not be the Best American Band/Artist(s), but I like them...

[d halfnote]

From the past:

Jimi H

Geo Clinton

F Zappa

Each took things somewhere no one else had.

 

From the future....?

Maybe you or me.

 

[Paul Scott Rock]

I will play . First though my sarcasm is tearing up hen I hear about the eagles and Vince Gill. Vince joined pure prairie league after they became famous and rode that train to fame and now he wants to jump aboard the eagles ? Vince is a great musician but he never blazes a trail for himself.

Heaping more praise upon already successful musicians seems silly. The Beatles were great . They blazed a trail.steppenwolf blazed a trail. Frank Zappa owes his success to no one but himself. He never joined anyone else. Skynyrd blazed a trail. They worked very hard, plays parks for free, lived and breathed blues and rock and whiskey. They have become more than a band. They are now an institution. I can see the Lynyrd Skynyrd bnd being a perpetual road show for many years to come.

Jim and Steve Ray blazed a trail and paid with their lives for the right to create a new way to play the guitar. Stevie Ray lived on the street he was a homeless person because he believed in himself. He believed what he was trying to do was important. It was important. He was right. He paid a steep price, his life was never easy. He never took the easy route. He was not just a great musician he was a great man.

 

[Larryz]

http://texashillcountry.com/eagles-recruit-vince-gill/ <---The Eagles recruited Vince Gill (it was not the other way around) to fill in for a few concerts. I don't know if he will be permanent. I've heard a few cuts on YouTube and Vince does a very good job IMHO. I think he is a super talented musician and sings well too...

 

[d halfnote]

I will play . First though my sarcasm is tearing up hen I hear about the eagles and Vince Gill. Vince joined pure prairie league after they became famous and rode that train to fame and now he wants to jump aboard the eagles ? Vince is a great musician but he never blazes a trail for himself.

Heaping more praise upon already successful musicians seems silly. The Beatles were great . They blazed a trail.steppenwolf blazed a trail. Frank Zappa owes his success to no one but himself. He never joined anyone else. Skynyrd blazed a trail. They worked very hard, plays parks for free, lived and breathed blues and rock and whiskey. They have become more than a band. They are now an institution. I can see the Lynyrd Skynyrd bnd being a perpetual road show for many years to come.

Jim and Steve Ray blazed a trail and paid with their lives for the right to create a new way to play the guitar. Stevie Ray lived on the street he was a homeless person because he believed in himself. He believed what he was trying to do was important. It was important. He was right. He paid a steep price, his life was never easy. He never took the easy route. He was not just a great musician he was a great man.

 

Confused & hard to follow.

You don't know history.

I actually knew SRV before his fame.

He took a hard road but it was never like what you say.

 

The truth abt anyone is, oddly, sometimes even harder to follow in digital times than in previous history & I think yer on the right trail but the story needs to be true.

 

[Lokair]

I now believe the best Metal band in america for me is:Mastadon

the Best say lighter rock :Ben Harper and the innocent criminals

 

I heard a band today that was very interesting band called "fist fight in the parking lot" fronted by a female guitarist and she rocks. they could become a favorite.

 

 

I guess I could go on with other styles but at the moment that is it for me.

 

Lok

 

Remember these are just my opinions,

[whitefang]

They're ALL just anyone's opinions. I'm always wary( and weary) of people always trying to compile ANY "best" list. It's better to ask generally who other people LIKE the "best". Especially in these days of the iNet and instant info.

 

Many will quick look up "stats" and then "expertly" proclaim, "So-and-so" was the "best" whatever based on record sales or box office reciepts or some other criteria that's really no true indicator of any actual talent or level of skill.

 

And the question is troubled to begin with especially HERE, where there are members whose ages range from elderly to millennial, the older ones thinking some band from 40 or more years ago was the "best", and some millennials thinking some band the rest of us never HEARD of is. And then the "factfinders", looking at some list compiled by Rolling Stone mag where they ask a mere 1500 people out of a population of more than 300 million and take the results of that poll to believe what THAT group thinks is the "best".

 

But, I'll try MY "best" to give some kind of answer to this question.....

 

I'D say, based on longevity and many people from several age groups over it's existence, that the "best" American band could well be THE BEACH BOYS. I've known many older than me to many young enough to be my grandchildren who REALLY dig their music. And also, since the OP didn't specify as to the "best" EVER, or NOW, I'll stick with that one.

Whitefang

[jimmac]

Different candidates from different times. Way back I would have to consider long time popular bands like the ones Tommy Shaw and Guy Lumbardo lead. Frank Sinatra and of course Elvis. Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed did some awsome music and lots of it for many years. More recent ACDC has had quite a long run and I love Hendrix, Stevie Ray and others. Woops ACDC not american. Jim

[JuJu Kwan]

I probably should have said favorite as opposed to best.

[Winston Psmith]

I probably should have said favorite as opposed to best.

 

Makes it a little easier to answer, if no less subjective . . .

 

No surprise, I'd nominate Bill Frisell as one of the most talented and adventurous players out there.

 

You should also look into a group called Animals As Leaders; very 21st Century.

 

Some old favorites here, sometimes listed by favorite albums, as their sound changed over time: Devo's first album, the Cramps, Miles Davis, Weather Report, Jefferson Airplane's Crown Of Creation and Country Joe & The Fish Electric Music For the Mind and Body, Paul Winter Consort, MC5 (the Godfathers of American Punk, IMHO), Steve Miller Band's Brave New World, Randy Newman, Tom Waits, X, Patti Smith. Lots I've left out, because I'm sure others will list them.

 

One controversial pick: I loved The Mothers of Invention, but was less impressed with Zappa's output as a solo artist. Zappa at D.A.R. Constitution Hall, mid-80's, is one of the very few concerts I've walked out on. Not disrespecting his genius, but on that night, he was punishing his band, and his audience, for no good reason that I could see. FWIW, I wasn't the only one who walked out. Half a dozen of my Musician buddies also fled . . .

[Scott Fraser]

Steely Dan. The first four albums will show you everything you ever need to know about pop/rock music production.

[Larryz]

Correction: I named Tommy Emmanuel as a guitarist and just realized he's Australian LOL! Guess I'll have to go back to his American teacher, Chet Atkins! @ JuJu, I think our favorites and who is the best go hand in hand...as we are usually going to pick our favorites anyway LOL!

[whitefang]

Well, if we ARE going with favorites, I'll recuse. Too many I like too much to single out just one.

 

Same with artists, IF JuJu is asking about guitarists. If overall, I'd go with the guy I had "hero worship" over for more than 50 years.

 

Bob Dylan.

 

If you'd have asked me this many years ago, before I was exposed to a whole HELL of a lot of different music and musicians, I might have come up with an answer quickly. But as I'm turning 66 tomorrow, and had my ear pressed up against the speaker of either the radio or the home phonograph for all but maybe four of those years, that's a LOT of music for me to whittle down

Whitefang

[Danzilla]

Glass Hammer: Most of your favorite progressive rock artists all rolled into one.

 

Joe Bonamassa: opening myself to controversy, but he's a great blues rock player. Full of himself? Perhaps. Obnoxious with his marketing? Definitely. But a player who can bring the goods, entertain, and be respectful to those who came before him? yes indeed.

 

Tab Benoit: Great swampy blues. See also Sonny Landreth.

 

Andy Gullahorn: Singer songwriter, who's quite a fingerpicker. And the man knows how to spin a lyric, too. See also those he's worked with, Andrew Peterson and Andrew Osenga (who all three toured together once as Andy and the Andys).

 

Gov't Mule, John Scofield, The Subdudes, Wayne Johnson, Once And Future Band, etc. etc. etc. So much good music out there.

 

[whitefang]

Speaking of Joe Bonamassa; my local PBS station is showing his "Live at the Greek Theater" tonight at 9:00pm.

 

Maybe a PBS station in some of y'all's region is too. Check your local listings.

Whitefang

[CEB]

Return To Forever.

[d halfnote]

They're ALL just anyone's opinions.

 

There's a diff between empty "I like" opinions & those based on actual informed knowledge.

[jimmac]

Today must be happy birthday day for Fang according to your post above so enjoy. I beat you to 66 by 4 months and a day. Jim

[Paul Scott Rock]

Then there is Steve Morse. Dixie Dregs.

Jaco Pastorious.The great bass guitar player who suffered from depression and mental illness. Percy Jones the great bassist from Brand X and of course Marcus Millar the great bass guitar player who also is a trail Blazer.

 

I read a book by joe Pastoski, and Bill Crawford who described the life and times of Stevie Ray , and they tell a story of a musician who refused to work at any kind of job even if there was no gigs to play . Who never owned a car . Never had a residence of his own . So do tell us , me d , Steve left home at 17 ,he played in a band called Blackbird with Kim Davies , I knew Kim and I know Rusty Burns at least I have met him. It was interesting to me that they all knew each other . Rusty is a bad ass guitar player who actually plays a right hand guitar , left handed ,upside down . Look him up.

[whitefang]

Today must be happy birthday day for Fang according to your post above so enjoy. I beat you to 66 by 4 months and a day. Jim

 

OK. so, happy belated!

Whitefang

[d halfnote]

Then there is Steve Morse. Dixie Dregs.

Jaco Pastorious.The great bass guitar player who suffered from depression and mental illness. Percy Jones the great bassist from Brand X and of course Marcus Millar the great bass guitar player who also is a trail Blazer.

 

I read a book by joe Pastoski, and Bill Crawford who described the life and times of Stevie Ray , and they tell a story of a musician who refused to work at any kind of job even if there was no gigs to play . Who never owned a car . Never had a residence of his own . So do tell us , me d , Steve left home at 17 ,he played in a band called Blackbird with Kim Davies , I knew Kim and I know Rusty Burns at least I have met him. It was interesting to me that they all knew each other . Rusty is a bad ass guitar player who actually plays a right hand guitar , left handed ,upside down . Look him up.

 

I guess there's a question or challenge to me in there but I can't tell what it is, exactly.... :idk

Whatchoo wanna know from me ?

[whitefang]

I'm kinda wondering about that too, d.

 

I'll settle for just an explanation of the POST, in relation to the thread.

Whitefang

[d halfnote]

While I won't say there've been any bad picks here, I do wonder at the exclusion of many of the truly groundbreaking, epoch-making bands.

I will provide a list of these, though not in my usual "collection" style but, to facilitate discussion, as a series of individual posts.

They will follow a chronological line.

 

The 1st suggestion I have is the Comanche, circa late 17th C when they stopped the northern spread of the Spanish invaders who could conquer the Aztec but not the Comanche.

They also were the 1st AmerIndian group to master the horse, transforming Plains culture.

 

Their music is a bit harder to figure these days but we have some hints.

Like most AmerInd people they did 2 main musics: drum dances & flute music/vocal songs.

Most don't realize this but in blues music there's a something called a "tumbling strain" wherein a line starts very high & descends. That derives from Native American cultures.

 

[video:youtube]

 

Let us pause a moment while Jimi Hendrix reminds us of what was (catch his introduction).

Machine Gun & his version of the Starry Eyed Banner illustrated one type of war.

This describes another.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d203iWH0S3U

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d203iWH0S3U

 

I suggest the Comanche were the best band of their time.

 

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

I'm presuming that this thread is primarily concerned with American Pop/Rock/R&B artists... ?

 

Steely Dan. The first four albums will show you everything you ever need to know about pop/rock music production.

 

I LOVE Steely Dan. They're also excellent live in concert.

 

The Allman Brothers Band really pushed up the standard for live ensemble performing groups, which also translated into their studio recording as they pretty much played together in the studio in the same way that they played in concerts.

 

The Derek Trucks Band and the Tedeschi Trucks Band are both particularly excellent bands all-around.

 

When I saw Gov't Mule the first time, they were absolutely amazing. Among many high points, their instrumental Beatles medley had each of the four members playing a different Beatles piece simultaneously, each recognizable, each member changing to another Beatles pice as they went along throughout, and it al WORKED FLAWLESSLY. It was ASTOUNDING.

 

I also hold Cheap Trick in very high esteem. Great in the studio and on stage! They're first album- 1977's eponymously titled Cheap Trick- is a below-the-radar CLASSIC and one of the all-time greatest Hard Rock/Classic Rock albums; certainly among the finest Hard Rock debut albums. HIGHLY recommended.

 

Blue Öyster Cult was one Hell of a band in their time.

 

For newer, edgier and innovative stylings, I posit that Tool and The Mars Volta are each amazing bands, in the studio and on stage.

[Larryz]

 

Like most AmerInd people they did 2 main musics: drum dances & flute music/vocal songs.

Most don't realize this but in blues music there's a something called a "tumbling strain" wherein a line starts very high & descends. That derives from Native American cultures.

 

I suggest the Comanche were the best band of their time.

 

 

The Native American flute is also based upon the 5 tone Pentatonic blues scale...so they invented the blues as an all-American genre, without knowing it.

[Winston Psmith]

 

Like most AmerInd people they did 2 main musics: drum dances & flute music/vocal songs.

Most don't realize this but in blues music there's a something called a "tumbling strain" wherein a line starts very high & descends. That derives from Native American cultures.

 

I suggest the Comanche were the best band of their time.

 

 

The Native American flute is also based upon the 5 tone Pentatonic blues scale...so they invented the blues as an all-American genre, without knowing it.

 

@Larryz - the Japanese Shakuhachi is also tuned to a 5-tone Pentatonic scale. You can get 'bent' or slurred notes by half-holing, and other finger techniques. (Yes, I have one.) There was an American artist - can't remember the name right now - who played one in a Jazz/Blues ensemble.

 

5-tone scales are truly ancient. The oldest known piece of anything resembling Music manuscript (Egyptian, Sumerian?) is in a 5-tone scale, if not a Blues-like scale.

[Larryz]

Yeah Winston, I was thinking of buying a Native American flute (many of them come in the Key of G but you can find others)...and discovered they were in the pentatonic scale which is one I love to play around with. I think I need a flat 5 hole though LOL! I think I will look into buying one again, for when I'm just sitting around doing nothing in particular LOL! They are very melodic and soothing and can get some very interesting bird sounds and play some sad blues like stuff too! Especially when sitting by a stream or lake out in the middle of nowhere with no one around, that's where I'll get the most use out of one...also, reminds me of my favorite TV series Kungfu! I don't remember David Carradine ever jamming with the Indians or leaning any new licks from them in any of the episodes LOL! I wonder, do you have a pedal that can get the sound(s)?

[whitefang]

Me either. I just assumed "Caine" was just playing what came to mind, and only recall him "jamming" with Cannonboll Adderly and Jose Feliciano in one episode.

Whitefang

[Larryz]

[video:youtube]