Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Is this your list or is it culled from some specific source? Care to 'splain yerself?* Thanks loads for mentioning Mahalia Jackson - now what about Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald? What about The Carters? Why no Frank Sinatra? Influences: Bessie Smith - Ma Rainey Janis Joplin - Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey Aretha Franklin - Mahalia Jackson, Bessie Smith Ruth Brown - Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith Diana Ross - Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald The Carter's along with Jimmie Rodgers - didn't just about every country artist back in the forties and fifties cite the afore-mentioned as influences? Frank Sinatra - put the romantic leading man into big-band swing melodies; the bobby-soxers - not since Rudolph Valentino did the young girls swoon a prequel to Elvis and Beatle-mania; Anyway, Armstrong IS one of the greats, but I'd rank Ellington higher. Do not forget the ladies, m'dear... Tera *BTW - you are not allowed to take the popular music bill of rights Billie Holliday amendment clause, "Don't Explain". -Original Message- From: David Cantwell [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Monday, April 19, 1999 4:33 PM Subject: Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician The most influential pop musicians of the 20th century are, in order: 1) Louis Armstrong 2) Elvis Presley 3) James Brown 4) Bing Crosby Armstrong and Crosby loom over the first half of the century the way Elvis and JB do the second. Who's #5? Mahalia? Ellington? The Beatles or Dylan? Hank? I don't know, but those first four, man, no one can touch them. --david cantwell
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Armstrong gets my # 1 vote, btw, not just as a cornetist/trumpeter but as a singer whose sense of rhythm and phrasing pretty much invented (along with Bing's additions) the way we sing in the 20th century. --david cantwell Crosby has said that his greatest musical influence was Al Jolsen. Should we be talking about Crosby here or should we be giving a nod to Al Jolsen as one of the single most influential? No matter where you look to the greatest, there's always someone who came before. Whoever it was who talked about Buddy Bolden - yes, Armstrong borrowed a lot from Buddy. Should Bolden be the influence, I wonder? "King" of the cornet -innovative, expressive and a definite forerunner of what was to be known as "jazz". The original "funky butt". - ahem and amen. Tera
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
David Cantwell wrote: The most influential pop musicians of the 20th century are, in order: 1) Louis Armstrong 2) Elvis Presley 3) James Brown 4) Bing Crosby Armstrong and Crosby loom over the first half of the century the way Elvis and JB do the second. Who's #5? Mahalia? Ellington? The Beatles or Dylan? Hank? I don't know, but those first four, man, no one can touch them. --david cantwell I would tend to agree with this if you stick with the word "influential" and don't muck up the argument with other criteria. The 20th Century is too big of a tent to stick Dylan up there at the top of the list, methinks. -- Joe Gracey President-For-Life, Jackalope Records http://www.kimmierhodes.com
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Well, in order to reel in this madness, let's focus on rock, instead of pop. Who then? Elvis, Dylan or Cash or... ? I still stand by Dylan over Cash easily, but there's a good argument to be made that Elvis wins over Dylan. After all, he did define the sound, and he gets props for being maybe the first punk rocker by virture of swiveling his hips and all. Yeah, it seems to me that Dylan falls into the area "shaded" by Elvis' influence. To me Cash had little or nothing to do with rock music, either as co-founder or anything else. He was an outlaw, but always within the context of country. He had pop hits, but they were still overtly country records. (Sam Phillips (the Sun owner/producer of Elvis) always maintains that had it not been for his car wreck on the way to his Ed Sullivan appearance, Carl Perkins would have been the rock roll idol king Elvis became.) -- Joe Gracey President-For-Life, Jackalope Records http://www.kimmierhodes.com
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Carl Abraham Zimring wrote: I'm sticking with Bing, but I'm a little surprised that none of the rock advocates have mentioned Chuck Berry. Carl Z. If you say Chuck Berry, you have to go one step back and say T-bone Walker, who spawned not only CB but all of them guitar heroes like BB King and Albert and Freddie. -- Joe Gracey President-For-Life, Jackalope Records http://www.kimmierhodes.com
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
At 03:50 AM 4/20/99 -0400, always pushing me to have to think g, Tera wrote: Crosby has said that his greatest musical influence was Al Jolsen. Should we be talking about Crosby here or should we be giving a nod to Al Jolsen as one of the single most influential? There's no doubt that Crosby idolized Jolsen. EVERYONE idolized him, but I'm not so sure he was that big a musical influence on Crosby. Certainly Jolsen's charisma as a performer was an inspiration, but as for the way he actually sang, Crosby was far more influenced by Armstrong, and he often said so. This is also the distinction made, in fact, by both Will Freidwald (in the indispensable Jazz Singing: America's Greatest Voices From Bessie Smith to Bebop and Beyond) and by Crosby friend and biographer Ken Barnes (in the out of print The Crosby Years). I have read where Crosby said that he wanted to become a singer, in large part, because of Jolsen but I've also read him saying that he stopped trying to sing like Jolsen very early on, as in while he was still in his pre-solo-career group, the Rhythm Boys! Jolsen is undoubtedly influential, though--he'd have to be in the top 20 or 20 or so somewhere. Still, there's something about his work that doesn't translate well to our times--am I speaking out of turn here? I don't think so--something stagey and overdone and unsubtle and rhythmically dense, etc, etc. etc. to our modern tastes. It's as if he's speaking a different language, practically. Which is just another way of saying, I guess, that his specific musical influence didn't much carry over throughout the rest of the century. No matter where you look to the greatest, there's always someone who came before. Whoever it was who talked about Buddy Bolden - yes, Armstrong borrowed a lot from Buddy. Should Bolden be the influence, I wonder? As I've said you could trace influences back forever, which would make the most inlfuential artist ever the first artist ever, the one who picked up a rock and banged it against another rock for the sheer pleasure of the sound or whatever. But that's not very revealing (and I know it's not what Tera said..). It's also inacurate, I think, since it means that predecessors are always more influential, by definition. Little Willie John is more influential than James Brown? Jake Hess is more influential than Elvis? Miss Ross is more influential than Michael Jackson? Bolden, and King Oliver too, were certainly big influences on Louis but how many people in future years cited Oliver or Bolden as influences? And how many named Armstrong? --david cantwell
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Crosby has said that his greatest musical influence was Al Jolsen. Should we be talking about Crosby here or should we be giving a nod to Al Jolsen as one of the single most influential? Tera "There's only been four of us: Al Jolson, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams, and Jerry Lee Lewis. That's your only four fuckin' stylists that ever lived. We could write, sing, yodel, dance, fuck--makes no damn difference. The rest of these idiots is either ridin' a fuckin' horse, pickin' a guitar, or shootin' somebody in some stupid damn movie." --Jerry Lee Lewis Lance . . .
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
lance davis wrote: Or, you could say Louis Jordan, who may qualify as the 20th Century's most influential performer that most people tend to forget. His impact in the black community was especially remarkable, and the list of performers who consider him a PRIMARY influence include: Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, BB King, James Brown, and Nat Cole. I believe he had 17 number one hits between 1947 and the birth of rock 'n' roll, and it was his misfortune to be black at a time when blacks were rarely able to translate their influence into dollars and cents. Louis Jordan is THE link between the swing music of the '30's and the rock 'n' roll of the '50's. Was it jazz? Was it RB? Was it really just rock 'n' roll? Whatever you wanna call it, his jumpin music has stood the test of time even if his name hasn't. Amen, Lance. And Louis Jordan's not forgotten in these parts, at least not when the best, most consistent local public radio show for a number of years, "The Saturday Night Fish Fry", begins every show with that song. (On both Friday and Saturday nights) Still, I think you've managed to merge two long threads into "the single most criminally underrecognized influential 20th century pop musician." Good job! g b.s. n.p. Love Nut BALTIMUCHO!
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
As great as some of those nominees are, I would have to pick Elvis as the most influential. When Sinatra died a few months back, a colleague of mine tried to suggest he was the most influential singer of the century, and he was outraged I would even suggest Presley was greater. But to me, Elvis hasn't just influenced music. He has had such an impact on every aspect of culture, including movies and fashion and, really, the sexual liberation that flew in the face of the restrained 1950s (for a hilarious look at how subversive Presley was, check out www.thesmokinggun.com. They've got a declassified FBI letter from an informant about how Presley's 1950s stage show threatened the entire USA. It's easy to forget, but important to be reminded that people really took this stuff seriously). A few years back, I interviewed Greil Marcus and we were talking about the very earliest recordings of Presley (That's When Your Heartache Begins, in particular) which had recently surfaced on the first volume of the RCA box sets. He said that when you listen to that performance, it isn't just a great song, it is the sound of Elvis Presley INVENTING cool. And if he doesn't get credit for anything else, at least you've got to give him that: For a couple of generations, Elvis Presley invented cool. Paul Cantin np: Nashville West-Nashville West
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
David said (edited): There's no doubt that Crosby idolized Jolsen. EVERYONE idolized him, but I'm not so sure he was that big a musical influence on Crosby. Certainly Jolsen's charisma as a performer was an inspiration, but as for the way he actually sang, Crosby was far more influenced by Armstrong, and he often said so. Yes, I know what you mean - however...Crosby was influenced enough by Jolson to forego his previously scheduled future to pursue a career in music. After Crosby began singing he took other influences into account and thus established his own style. I'd say Jolson was the greatest influence for Crosby as Jolson was responsible for kick-starting a career which may not have been otherwise. David said: Jolsen is undoubtedly influential, though--he'd have to be in the top 20 or 20 or so somewhere. Still, there's something about his work that doesn't translate well to our times--am I speaking out of turn here? I don't think so--something stagey and overdone and unsubtle and rhythmically dense, etc, etc. etc. to our modern tastes. It's as if he's speaking a different language, practically. Which is just another way of saying, I guess, that his specific musical influence didn't much carry over throughout the rest of the century. Well, it seems to me that Jolson was responsible for changing the way in which music was presented. Music became drama, theatre and focused in on the performer instead of just the song. Remember, when Jolson started doing minstrel shows, most every song was just available in sheet music form and sold accordingly. It was Jolson who sold the songs mostly by word of mouth (no pun intended) via newspaper reporters and from his long stint on Broadway. Jolson incorporated every measure of his being onstage, from eye and hand movements to dancing, melodramatic posing and even his exaggerated vocal style. At that time, there weren't any recording second-takes or overdubbs, so each performance he gave had to be "on the money". If you think about how many of "his" songs became part of Americana, it staggers the imagination - "Swanee", "You Made Me Love You", "California Here I Come", "Steppin' Out", "I'm Sitting On Top Of The World", "April Showers", "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby (With A Dixie Melody)", "When The Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob Bobbin' Along" and the ubiquitous "Toot, Toot Tootsie", to name a few. How many times have these songs been featured in movies and/or recorded by other artists? Also, one could argue Jolson's influence not only on the lavish Busby Berkely movie musicals of the thirties but also to his influence on Broadway musicals and even so some degree "performance as art" influence upon the glam/rock and punk/rock era. Think camp, drama, theatre, dancing...thought I'd leave you with that to chew on g Tera (and you still skirted around the issue of great female influentials...harummph! Can I hear a Ma Rainey or a Bessie Smith?) P.S. - can't respond to your last paragraph right now (below), I ran out of gas down the road apiece, my battery went dead and the cable won't reach...(not intending to rip off Ricki Lee or anything g) - ANOTHER viable female artist - hint. As I've said you could trace influences back forever, which would make the most inlfuential artist ever the first artist ever, the one who picked up a rock and banged it against another rock for the sheer pleasure of the sound or whatever. But that's not very revealing (and I know it's not what Tera said..). It's also inacurate, I think, since it means that predecessors are always more influential, by definition. Little Willie John is more influential than James Brown? Jake Hess is more influential than Elvis? Miss Ross is more influential than Michael Jackson? Bolden, and King Oliver too, were certainly big influences on Louis but how many people in future years cited Oliver or Bolden as influences? And how many named Armstrong? --david cantwell
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Excerpts from internet.listserv.postcard2: 19-Apr-99 Re: Single Most Influential.. by "Terry A. Smith"@seorf.O The Beatles, appears to have been skipped over, perhaps, dare I speculate, because it's such an obvious choice? If we're talking about rock, in my subjective, fallible, hazy-assed estimation, the Beatles have no rival. -- At the risk of rehashing an argument I made a year ago, the Beatles' influence on modern recording techniques in a variety of genres cannot be overestimated. Which is not to say they are the century's most influential artist, but they're in the picture. Carl Z.
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
get to you, you might not be long for this list. This is just a typical day in the life of P2. And just wait til we rehash one of those recipe threads or my particular favorite: the greatest pitcher ever, which, of course, would Sandy Koufax, the Bob Dylan of his profession. Neal Weiss Hmmm, and let me guess who's the best base-stealer ever. Maury Wills, c'mon down. In all this palaver over greatest influences, etc., I guess I confess surprise that what, to me, is an obvious choice for at least the top five, The Beatles, appears to have been skipped over, perhaps, dare I speculate, because it's such an obvious choice? If we're talking about rock, in my subjective, fallible, hazy-assed estimation, the Beatles have no rival. -- Terry Smith ps my local library just got stocked up on a bunch of classic pop and soul, 50s era, plus a copy of Johnny Cash, Live at Folsom and San Quentin. Jackie Wilson, Lloyd Price, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, all sorts of stuff to explore.
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Dylan, Cash, Crosby, Elvis, whatever. Why don't we all just admit that without the Ramones our lives would have no meaning? Lance . . .
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Lance, I'd say everything you wrote about Parker is dead on (I'd better--I'm from KC where we just dedicated a huge Easter Island looking bust of the Bird), but only IF we limit the discussion to jazz. If we look to the whole of 20th century pop, however, which is what I was doing, then Armstrong is the man. Satchmo was the foundation not just of modern jazz, as you say, but of modern popular music. And the edifice? I guess that'd have to be Elvis. --david cantwell At 05:38 PM 4/19/99 -0500, you wrote: It's hard to argue AGAINST Armstrong, but I think Charlie Parker put Louis' massive instrumental contributions into something of a musical perspective. Not only was Bird--like Hendrix later on--the most imaginative and "electric" player of his era, but unlike Armstrong, there has never been a time since when his ideas have fallen out of favor. Bird's reconception and reorganization of Armstrong's formal solo made even Louis' monumental earlier efforts seem a bit dated (which was admittedly unfair). Bird made complex harmonic and melodic ideas swing, and he made oddly accented and angular rhythmic reinventions seem natural. Plus, and most importantly I think, there was very rarely a sense that even his most "out there" ideas weren't still the blues. Once Bird appeared on the scene, musicians emulated his playing and not, directly anyway, Armstrong's. (Unfortunately, too many players also emulated his junkie lifestyle for ANY insight into his muse). Charlie Mingus once said something to the effect that if horn-playing was gunslinging there'd be a whole lot of dead copycats. The same, of course, could be said about Armstrong, which is why it's impossible to argue AGAINST him. However, the influence of Bird on even contemporary players is still huge compared to Armstrong (which is, once again, unfair to Satch). If Armstrong was the foundation upon which modern jazz was built, Parker was the edifice itself. Personally, I don't think either man should be slighted at the other's expense, but the role of Bird from the early '40's onward is a tough chunk of history to look past.
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
In a message dated 4/19/99 3:52:06 PM Central Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: And just wait til we rehash one of those recipe threads or my particular favorite: the greatest pitcher ever, which, of course, would Sandy Koufax, the Bob Dylan of his profession. Greg Maddox. Where you been the last few years, LA? Slim - tommyhawk choppin'
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
As for the MOST influential, however, the way to look at it, seems to me, isn't to identify the influences upon an act (in the way Oliver paved the way for Armstrong) but to find out how far, and how broadly, into the future a person's influence reaches. In Oliver's case it's not much further than Louis, is it? In Louis' case, though, it's all the way through Miles and on up--and well beyond jazz into the entire culture. David Cantwell It's hard to argue AGAINST Armstrong, but I think Charlie Parker put Louis' massive instrumental contributions into something of a musical perspective. Not only was Bird--like Hendrix later on--the most imaginative and "electric" player of his era, but unlike Armstrong, there has never been a time since when his ideas have fallen out of favor. Bird's reconception and reorganization of Armstrong's formal solo made even Louis' monumental earlier efforts seem a bit dated (which was admittedly unfair). Bird made complex harmonic and melodic ideas swing, and he made oddly accented and angular rhythmic reinventions seem natural. Plus, and most importantly I think, there was very rarely a sense that even his most "out there" ideas weren't still the blues. Once Bird appeared on the scene, musicians emulated his playing and not, directly anyway, Armstrong's. (Unfortunately, too many players also emulated his junkie lifestyle for ANY insight into his muse). Charlie Mingus once said something to the effect that if horn-playing was gunslinging there'd be a whole lot of dead copycats. The same, of course, could be said about Armstrong, which is why it's impossible to argue AGAINST him. However, the influence of Bird on even contemporary players is still huge compared to Armstrong (which is, once again, unfair to Satch). If Armstrong was the foundation upon which modern jazz was built, Parker was the edifice itself. Personally, I don't think either man should be slighted at the other's expense, but the role of Bird from the early '40's onward is a tough chunk of history to look past. Lance . . .
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
In a message dated 4/19/99 2:50:51 PM Central Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Agreed. David Crosby was really something else. He ain't shit compared to Norm. Nope. Wrong. Bill ruled the world before those dumb pudding commercials. Uhhh, wait... Slim
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
On Mon, 19 Apr 1999, David Cantwell wrote: Sure, you can trail after previous influnces forever, but I'd argue that's important intellectual work. As for the MOST influential, however, the way to look at it, seems to me, isn't to idenitfy the influences upon an act (in the way Oliver paved the way for Armstrong) but to find out how far, and how broadly, into the future a person's influence reaches. why choose Bing over Frank then?? Just wondering how your logic works . . . thanks. -jim
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
I'm sticking with Bing, but I'm a little surprised that none of the rock advocates have mentioned Chuck Berry. Carl Z.
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Neal: Sandy Koufax, the Bob Dylan of his profession. Carl: Lefty (Stated in my best John McLaughlin voice) The answer is: Walter Johnson ~Greg ___ Get your free, private email at http://mail.excite.com/
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Excerpts from internet.listserv.postcard2: 19-Apr-99 Re: Single Most Influential.. by [EMAIL PROTECTED] And just wait til we rehash one of those recipe threads or my particular favorite: the greatest pitcher ever, which, of course, would Sandy Koufax, the Bob Dylan of his profession. Lefty Grove (the Bing Crosby of his profession), who may eventually be surpassed by Maddux. Carl Z.
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Your comments mirror those that have come in since I sent you the message. I for one enjoy these things on a one on one basis, but back and forth over this list thing get a little annoying. The whole thing started because the argument was that Jahnny Cash was more influential that Dylan. Rediculous, I know, but that's what they were arguing about. Hey Jason, if the incessant nature of threads and absurd, pointless arguments get to you, you might not be long for this list. This is just a typical day in the life of P2. And just wait til we rehash one of those recipe threads or my particular favorite: the greatest pitcher ever, which, of course, would Sandy Koufax, the Bob Dylan of his profession. Neal Weiss
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
I guess I'm not quite as comfortable with cause and effect as many of you folks seem to be. Say, for example, I think Louis Armstrong was the single most influential 20th Century pop musician. Armstrong was heavily influenced himself by Buddy Bolden and King Oliver among many, many others. In fact, without Bolden and Oliver and 'the rest', you don't have Louis Armstrong as we know him. Bolden influences countless people, among them Louis Armstrong who influences countless people, among them Miles Davis who influences countless people, ad nauseum. As an intellectual pursuit I find this tiresome. As an emotional pursuit, I vote for Miles Davis and call it good. ~Greg ___ Get your free, private email at http://mail.excite.com/
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
On Mon, 19 Apr 1999 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: it's a great list, david, but i pick brown (as i did in an earlier post), if only because he all but birthed soul, funk, and hip hop--hell, you can probably throw disco in there as well. i know that by making such a claim i leave myself open to all kinds of nitpicking (sp?), but jb cut a mighty wide swath through his half of the century. He sure did, and while he definitely gave birth to funk, I think it's an overstatement to say he did the same for soul and hip hop. Clyde McPhatter was most likely the original soul man (goin' all the way back to 1950 when he cut "Do Something For Me" with the Dominoes), and Ray Charles was the music's most influential early force. His earliest gospel-influenced recordings date a few years before JB's earliest stuff. As for hip hop, sure JB was (and still is) a major influence, but I think it's a bit of a stretch that he gave birth to the form -- it didn't really come into being until Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa started rappin' over the breaks while spinnin' discs at block parties in the South Bronx during the mid-70s.--don
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
In a message dated 4/19/99 2:45:23 PM EST, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Agreed. David Crosby was really something else. He ain't shit compared to Norm.
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Armstrong and Crosby loom over the first half of the century the way Elvis and JB do the second. Agreed. David Crosby was really something else.
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
The most influential pop musicians of the 20th century are, in order: 1) Louis Armstrong 2) Elvis Presley 3) James Brown 4) Bing Crosby Armstrong and Crosby loom over the first half of the century the way Elvis and JB do the second. Who's #5? Mahalia? Ellington? The Beatles or Dylan? Hank? I don't know, but those first four, man, no one can touch them. --david cantwell
RE: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Your comments mirror those that have come in since I sent you the message. I for one enjoy these things on a one on one basis, but back and forth over this list thing get a little annoying. The whole thing started because the argument was that Jahnny Cash was more influential that Dylan. Rediculous, I know, but that's what they were arguing about. Did you get to see any of the Cash thing on TNT last night. I thought some moments were great, and others schlocky. J
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
In a message dated 4/19/99 2:32:43 PM Central Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: The most influential pop musicians of the 20th century are, in order: 1) Louis Armstrong 2) Elvis Presley 3) James Brown 4) Bing Crosby Armstrong and Crosby loom over the first half of the century the way Elvis and JB do the second. it's a great list, david, but i pick brown (as i did in an earlier post), if only because he all but birthed soul, funk, and hip hop--hell, you can probably throw disco in there as well. i know that by making such a claim i leave myself open to all kinds of nitpicking (sp?), but jb cut a mighty wide swath through his half of the century.
RE: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Yeah, I can amuse myself for hours on a list like that. The question that immediately leaps to my mind is, "Does George Gershwin qualify as a pop musician thanks to his songs and jazz influence, or does he get shuffled off to classical." If pop, then I'd rank him #2. The only rock people that would make the list would be Elvis, Beatles, Hendrix. -Original Message- From: David Cantwell [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Monday, April 19, 1999 9:36 AM To: passenger side Subject: Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician The most influential pop musicians of the 20th century are, in order: 1) Louis Armstrong 2) Elvis Presley 3) James Brown 4) Bing Crosby Armstrong and Crosby loom over the first half of the century the way Elvis and JB do the second. Who's #5? Mahalia? Ellington? The Beatles or Dylan? Hank? I don't know, but those first four, man, no one can touch them. --david cantwell
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
The most influential pop musicians of the 20th century are, in order: 1) Louis Armstrong 2) Elvis Presley 3) James Brown 4) Bing Crosby Armstrong and Crosby loom over the first half of the century the way Elvis and JB do the second. Who's #5? Mahalia? Ellington? The Beatles or Dylan? Hank? I don't know, but those first four, man, no one can touch them. --david cantwell Well, in order to reel in this madness, let's focus on rock, instead of pop. Who then? Elvis, Dylan or Cash or... ? I still stand by Dylan over Cash easily, but there's a good argument to be made that Elvis wins over Dylan. After all, he did define the sound, and he gets props for being maybe the first punk rocker by virture of swiveling his hips and all. Even still, nowadays, it makes much more sense to me to invoke Dylan, as I guess you all have discerned by now. And that's not just because *my* singing voice is stuck in my nose too. Neal Weiss np - Forces of Nature soundtrack
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Yow, tough stuff. I'm inclinded to offer up (as Brad did) Bing Crosby, who pioneered how to sing pop into a microphone. Almost all pop singers use aspects of techniques he pioneered, from Elvis to Shania to Sinatra to Al Green. Carl Z.
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
In a message dated 4/19/99 12:18:03 PM Central Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Blah blah Bob Dylan's the single most influential pop musician in the 20th century. Hands down. Not even close. Bob Dylan's more influential than Bing Crosby? Than Frank Sinatra? Than Louis Armstrong? Than Hank Williams? Than Jimmie Rodgers? Than Elvis Presley? JAMES BROWN
Re: Single Most Influential 20th Century Pop Musician
Yow, tough stuff. I'm inclinded to offer up (as Brad did) Bing Crosby, who pioneered how to sing pop into a microphone. Almost all pop singers use aspects of techniques he pioneered, from Elvis to Shania to Sinatra to Al Green. Because I got into a similar discussion yesterday in my bar with a CSNY advocate, I gotta chuck in Brian Wilson. In terms of harmony and arranging, he pretty much rewrote pop. Shame about the going bonkers thing. cherilyn.