# Who is on your state's Mt. Rushmore of musicians? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2014, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033 "2014-03-18T22:48:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/1 "2014-03-18T22:48:05Z")
Ground rules: 1. Your selection must be an individual, not a group. 2. We can be fairly flexible about which state may claim a musician. S/he may be born in Tupelo but raised in Memphis; I’d be OK with both Mississippi and Tennessee claiming him/her. (someone who moved to Hollywood as an adult, however, may not claim Californ-i-ay as their homeland). 3. If you are not from the U.S., you may claim your entire country as an entry. Exception: If you are from Liverpool you must use only your town. I’m confident you can come up with four suitable Liverpudlians). 4. Have fun, and hey…HEY!!!..Let’s be careful out there! mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/2 "2014-03-18T22:50:49Z")
I’ll start us out. **Michigan** Stevie Wonder (born in Saginaw) Eminem (raised in Warren) Bob Seger (born in Dearborn) Jack White (born in Detroit) Damn solid group, no? mmm ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/3 "2014-03-18T23:01:00Z")
Wisconsin would have Les Paul for sure Liberace? Brian ---
**Author:** ![slowlearner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@slowlearner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slowlearner)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/4 "2014-03-18T23:11:20Z")
Blind Lemon Jefferson, T-Bone Walker, Charlie Christian, Freddy King ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/5 "2014-03-18T23:13:58Z")
Indiana: **Michael Jackson** **John Mellencamp** **Axl Rose** (despite the way he’s fallen off the sane side of the radar recently, the impact he and Guns N Roses had on hard rock/heavy metal cannot be denied) **Cole Porter** Honorable mentions to [Shannon Hoon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon_Hoon), [Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_%22Babyface%22_Edmonds), [John Hiatt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hiatt), [Henry Lee Summer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Lee_Summer), [Crystal Gayle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Gayle), [David Lee Roth](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lee_Roth), and [Hoagy Carmichael](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoagy_Carmichael). ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/6 "2014-03-19T00:09:45Z")
Too many from California, but my personal four would be: Mike Watt Sly Stone Brian Wilson Beck ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/7 "2014-03-19T00:30:34Z")
Arizona. Linda Ronstadt Alice Cooper Stevie Nicks Rex Allen ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/8 "2014-03-19T00:42:33Z")
My California foursome: Jerry Garcia Brian Wilson Eddie Van Halen Harry Nilsson ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/9 "2014-03-19T00:52:38Z")
I’m not from Liverpool, but I’ll take a stab at it. Billy J. Kramer Aynsley Dunbar Tony Sheridan Cilia Black How’d I do? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/10 "2014-03-19T01:14:39Z")
Alabama: W.C. Handy Hank Williams Sun Ra Wilson Pickett ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/11 "2014-03-19T01:15:48Z")
My state is thin in the ground for good musicians, but I would have to pick Ann Wilson Layne Staley Chris Cornell Kurt Cobain ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/12 "2014-03-19T01:23:58Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > My California foursome: > > Jerry Garcia > Brian Wilson > Eddie Van Halen > Harry Nilsson After careful consideration, I’ve decided I need a few extra heads on my California Rushmore. Either that, or maybe a secondary,alternate location like Crazy Horse in the Black Hills with a gigantic likeness of Country Dick Montana. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/13 "2014-03-19T01:30:51Z")
Eddie Vedder Muddy Waters (or Buddy Guy) Kanye West Billy Corgan Certainly quibbling room. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/14 "2014-03-19T01:36:38Z")
For Texas… Bob Wills Van Cliburn Willie Nelson Buddy Holly ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/15 "2014-03-19T01:39:04Z")
New York Leonard Bernstein Georges Gershwin Billy Joel Paul Simon ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/16 "2014-03-19T01:48:26Z")
It’s hard to choose in Tennessee, but here goes: Elvis (also from the all around list) Dolly Parton (again from the general list) W.C. Handy Mother Maybelle Carter (yes, I know, originally from Virginia, but she made her name in Tennessee) If we wanted to do all of the Tennessee Smokies, we could add a whole bunch more. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/17 "2014-03-19T01:50:23Z")
I’m not that up on musicians from my adopted state of Maryland, but here goes: Frank Zappa David Byrne Root Boy Slim Eubie Blake From my birth state, Tennessee: The King Steve Cropper Brownie McGhee Memphis Minnie ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/18 "2014-03-19T02:32:51Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > For Texas… > > Bob Wills > Van Cliburn > Willie Nelson > Buddy Holly That’s pretty damn good. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/19 "2014-03-19T02:56:58Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > For Texas… > > Bob Wills > Van Cliburn > Willie Nelson > Buddy Holly Yeah, we’re gonna need a bigger mountain in Texas. I can’t imagine leaving off Stevie Ray Vaughan. You could make a case for Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, George Strait, Johnny Copeland, Freddie King, Albert Collins, T-Bone Walker, Big Mama Thornton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, etc. And while she’s not thought of as a “Texas” musician, Janis Joplin was born in Port Arthur. If I had to limit it to four: SRV Willie Nelson Townes Van Zandt T-Bone Walker ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033/20 "2014-03-19T03:00:04Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I’ll start us out. > > **Michigan** > > Stevie Wonder (born in Saginaw) > Eminem (raised in Warren) > Bob Seger (born in Dearborn) > Jack White (born in Detroit) > > Damn solid group, no? > mmm It could be better. Any of these three: Madonna, Aretha Franklin, or Dianna Ross belong on the list. My list: Stevie Wonder Eminem Madonna Dianna Ross [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-on-your-states-mt-rushmore-of-musicians/684033.md?page=2)