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The Rock and Roll Mt. Rushmore

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W

William

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So, driving back home from Chicago with my Dad yesterday, and we're listening to Terri Hemmert on WXRT, and she's talking about Chuck Berry (she was about to play a Berry song). Anyway, she talks about the Rock Mount Rushmore, a topic from her class in Rock History (she teaches at Columbia, IIRC), saying that Chuck Berry would definitely be on it. This naturally sparks a discussion between Dad and I, trying to decide what four rock pioneers-the real architects of Rock and Roll-would be on our own personal Rock Mount Rushmores. I had to agree with Chuck, as his music was the first real synthesis of country and western, blues, and R&B. Plus his songwriting introduced the traditional themes of rock music-cars, girls, and chasing girls in your car.

My other three were:

Bill Haley-forgetting the later years when he was an oldies act and only popular in Europe, Haley's music with the Comets was arguably the first to be popularly called Rock and Roll, and their shows put the "show" in "rock show".

Buddy Holly-probably one of the first rock musicians (alongside Chuck Berry) who did his own songwriting-bear in mind that most rock acts in the early years had to record music written by "professionals". Also, Holly's distinctive, clean, chiming guitar style influenced countless guitarists.

My final pick was hard-I was leaning towards Ike Turner, for his influence on guitarists with his early work on "Rocket 88" (the first known use of guitar distortion), but I'm not sure I could call him an "architect" of rock. Dad nominated Carl Perkins, and I sorta agree with that, as his music was re-recorded by so many other artists and set the template for rockabilly music. I finally came up with:

Sam Phillips-founder of Sun Records, for helping to launch the careers of such luminaries as Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Roy Orbison, and basically founding the first rock record label.

Who would you choose?

-Wm.
 
Chuck Berry would be a recognizable face, as would Elvis. Smokey Robinson perhaps? Berry Gordy because of Motown and he has done? I think his is a known face as well. I am by no means knowledgeable on Rock N Roll history..... :smile:
 
Seems to me they would have to find a very big mountain for that idea! Where does it end? Just one part of it would have to include four heads, John, Paul, George and Ringo! Then, Jimmi Hendrix would also have to be on it along with Eric Clapton, just to add a couple of names off the top of my head. No one mentioned Jerry Lee Lewis or Fats Domino etc. etc. etc. R&R is just too full of personalities that all contributed something to the genre!! I mean it is not like having to pick a select few from a group of 43 Presidents!!
 
Mike, seems I know a little more than I thought I did! I thought of all those names too, except for Fats Domino. I second your thought about there being just too many.....
 
Yeah, four heads just won't cut it - too many to mention.

And all that have been mentioned so far have been men. Don't forget the female influence: Carole King, Brenda Lee, Aretha, Janis, Tina, etc., etc.
 
:iagree:

Of course, on the original I rather think Teddy is out of his league among the others...

or is that political comment????
 
Carl Perkins for sure.
And Johnny Cash, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holley and Roy Orbison would be there too.

Also, I'd add Little Richard.

And historically, I'd say Pete Seeger's old group, The Weavers (yeah, I know they're not really Rock and Roll, but I think they had a big influence on R&R music).

Also maybe Leadbelly and later on, JJ Cale.

Lots more probably!
 
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