# Once in a lifetime talents **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 9, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289 "2022-09-09T19:57:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/41 "2022-09-10T18:11:42Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > Myron Floren was the best accordion player of all time. As a lifelong accordionist (“Piano” Accordion, non-Free Bass) I’ll second that. I’ve never listened to any Classical Accordionists, but for non-classical music I’ve never seen or heard anyone better than Myron Floren. And for all I know he could have excelled at classical as well. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/42 "2022-09-10T18:19:01Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I would nominate George Martin as a once in a lifetime producer (along with all the other once in a lifetime producers). I would agree with your statement without the (gracious) parenthetical disclaimer. For all of the ridiculousness about who was “the fifth Beatle”, it was clearly George Martin. He was for all intents and purposes a non-performing (mostly) member of the band. Lennon, McCartney, and Martin were the creative geniuses behind the music. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/43 "2022-09-10T18:24:09Z")
As for producers and songwriters, we cannot leave out Brian Wilson as a real genius. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/44 "2022-09-10T18:26:22Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Most of the early Beatles’ tune were John’s rather than Paul’s, even if they “wrote together.” And, I prefer John’s songs to Paul’s. They are grittier and more downbeat, which I prefer. And, I agree Martin is a once in a lifetime talent in the category of “producer.” But in the category of “songwriter/performer/singer/well-rounded musician” I stick with McCartney. Although I prefer Lennon’s music and lyrics, I believe John needed the take-charge attitude of McCartney to bring his songwriting genius to fruition. I believe this is apparent in the Get Back films. The Beatles needed Paul’s focus to produce the hits they achieved. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/45 "2022-09-10T18:26:36Z")
David Bowie. He was an amazing composer, musician, singer, actor. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/46 "2022-09-10T18:32:02Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > **Jaco Pastorius.** This is a niche instrument and he played in a niche genre so many people won’t really understand this, but nobody before or since has ever been able to do the things he did with the bass. I can’t agree with the “since” bit … [Charles Berthoud](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez1JjoTobmA&t=105s)would give him a run for his money. See also Victor Wooten. I’m surprised that Stevie Wonder hasn’t been mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/47 "2022-09-10T18:50:31Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > As for producers and songwriters, we cannot leave out Brian Wilson as a real genius. I agree with Brian Wilson being a contender for best producer/songwriter talent. I wish his Beach Boy family bandmates were better musicians, but they wisely used excellent studio musicians for their albums. And, Brian’s schizoaffective disorder may have contributed to his genius, it also no doubt put him out of commission for long periods of time. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/48 "2022-09-10T19:17:22Z")
As we mention musicians, how about Keith Moon? Not the most technically proficient of rock drummers, and not the best timekeeper, either, but there’s really no other that sounds like him. I wouldn’t say he stands apart from other drummers in the sense of being “better” than them, as music is not a contest, but out of all the rock drummers out there, he just has such a unique approach to the instrument that I haven’t really heard before or since (and I don’t think would work as well outside the context of The Who.) He truly is sui generis. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/49 "2022-09-10T19:20:49Z")
Freddie Mercury, as a rock singer and frontman with amazing stage presence. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/50 "2022-09-10T19:22:15Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > As we mention musicians, how about Keith Moon? And, in the category of _jazz_ drummer/showman, I think Buddy Rich was king of the hill. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/51 "2022-09-10T19:34:30Z")
Certainly the most flamboyant and theatrical. He’s not the king of my jazz hill or even top five or ten (neither is Moon for rock), but he was definitely one-of-a-kind. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/52 "2022-09-10T20:08:58Z")
I just checked the thread. No mention of Elvis yet. Any F1 fans here? I’m not a big fan but was amazed at Ayrton Senna’s driving skills, especially in the rain. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/53 "2022-09-10T20:12:02Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > If an animal can be considered an athlete (and why not?), I’ll go with Secretariat. > > Another horse may one day beat his '73 Belmont Stakes time, but if he ran against Secretariat (alive of course), I believe he’d finish second. That horse just loved to crush his opponents. > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfCMtaNiMDM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfCMtaNiMDM) In ‘73 I was a young kid just starting to watch ABC’s Wide World of Sports, and I watched that Belmont race. Just incredible. +1 for Secretariat. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/54 "2022-09-10T20:37:58Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > (Dylan) > Should be my natural answer, as the self-proclaimed greatest Dylan fan of the board 😉, Yes, it’s a good answer, especially for songwriting. Zappa also was a genius. But from the POV of a rock fan like me, Jimi Hendrix is the answer. Nobody else played the electric guitar and mastered it like him, not before him or after. I almost entirely agree with you - but I lean to Dylan. A man who never even bothered to properly record songs that other fine songwriters would have given a kidney for. Santa Fe. Mama you been on my mind. And so on. As for sports - Torville and Dean. So good that they redefined the sport. So good that I watched ice skating. Says it all, really. j ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/55 "2022-09-10T20:50:30Z")
That’s why I wrote _-/showman_. Rich is in the same category as Liberace with piano. Liberace was an excellent pianist, but nowhere in the same stratosphere as a top concert pianist like Horowitz, or Yuga Wang. Buddy Rich was an excellent drummer (and certainly more technically proficient than Keith Moon, but technicality isn’t that important in rock and roll). Big (but not top) talent coupled with extreme showmanship is certainly worthy of acclaim. An exception, IMHO, is Franz Liszt. By all accounts he was a top piano virtuoso, _and_ a spellbinding showman. Not to mention the composer of some the most technically difficult piano works ever created. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/56 "2022-09-10T20:51:27Z")
Song writer, male: Dylan Song writer, female: Carole King or Joni Mitchell Poet: Dylan Blues guitar: Stevie Ray Vaughan Rock guitar: Hendrix - everyone who followed him used him as a guide Jazz guitar, male: Al Di Meola or Paco De Lucia Jazz guitar, female: Mimi Fox Jazz drummer: Joe Morello Jazz trumpet: Miles Davis, Diz All around athlete: Jim Thorpe Classical composer: Bach Modern composer: Leonard Bernstein - Nobody had ever done what he did with music Ballet dancer, male: Baryshnikov - I don’t even like ballet, but the athleticism this guy had was phenomenal ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/57 "2022-09-10T21:05:32Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > That’s why I wrote _-/showman_ Somehow, my eyes elided over the “showman” part. I can see the analogy to Liberace, although Rich was much more talented on the music front (though Liberace was reasonable.) For idiosyncratic classical music performers, I feel like Glen Gould has to be somewhere in the discussion. Once again, I’m not sure I’ve heard anyone quite like him. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/58 "2022-09-10T21:12:26Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Buddy Rich was an excellent drummer Was he really hated by everyone or is that just part of his legend? ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/59 "2022-09-10T21:15:44Z")
I’m not expert enough in any field to designate an absolute best. And my knowledge falls off sharply before and after my late teens and prime adulthood. But! I’m in awe of a few people. JRR Tolkien Albert Einstein (not exactly part of my lifetime) Bob Dylan Tom Brady The Beatles (collectively) Robert Crumb Bill Watterson …and maybe the Coen Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289/60 "2022-09-10T21:18:02Z")
I liked Gould very much (despite his annoying humming), but for my money, Yuja Wang is top piano gun. She is as near-perfect as one can get with an instrument and she plays with emotional depth and a clear understanding of the music she plays. And, she hasn’t even reached her peak. Top contemporary concert piano talent = Wang. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-in-a-lifetime-talents/971289.md?page=4)