# Your Mount Rushmore of American Music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 4, 2013, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966 "2013-09-04T04:33:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/41 "2013-09-04T17:58:51Z")
Gershwin Sinatra Ray Charles Duke Ellington ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/42 "2013-09-04T18:23:35Z")
I’m going to stick with artists mainly known for their performance, not the composing since I almost think of those as separate topics. And I couldn’t limit myself to just 4 otherwise. Louis Armstrong - No question, first ballot HOF’er Elvis Presley - Again, first ballot without question Frank Sinatra - An icon for so long Bob Dylan - Revolutionized popular American music ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/43 "2013-09-04T18:29:14Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Miles Davis > Bob Dylan > Trey Anastasio > J Mascis Goddamn, that would be one _UGLY_ mountain! ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/44 "2013-09-04T18:32:26Z")
Stephen Foster Cole Porter George Gershwin Norman Granz ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/45 "2013-09-04T18:53:16Z")
I suggest at least two (maybe three) separate polls using the names suggested in this thread to establish the most frequently voted for names in at least these genres/categories: Group One Classical Broadway Large Orchestra/Symphonic/Big Band Movie Scores Group Two Jazz Blues/Soul Rock (instrumental} “Pop” (wherever you put Ray Charles, Sinatra, Michael Jackson) Group Three Folk Rock (vocal} Gospel Country ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/46 "2013-09-04T21:40:10Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > I suggest at least two (maybe three) separate polls using the names suggested in this thread to establish the most frequently voted for names in at least these genres/categories: > > Group One > > Classical > Broadway > Large Orchestra/Symphonic/Big Band > Movie Scores > > Group Two > > Jazz > Blues/Soul > Rock (instrumental} > “Pop” (wherever you put Ray Charles, Sinatra, Michael Jackson) > > Group Three > > Folk > Rock (vocal} > Gospel > Country I know how you love your little compartments with everything on a spreadsheet but this ain’t that. It’s Mount Rushmore. Not the music hall of fame. You only get 4 choices. That’s what makes it interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/47 "2013-09-04T22:15:23Z")
You only get one Mt. Rushmore. Although I think music should be universal rather then national. But here’s mine: Woody Guthrie Louis Armstrong Frank Sinatra George Gershwin ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/48 "2013-09-05T03:09:30Z")
Sticking with popular music post 1950: Elvis. No debate. BB King. Ditto Hank Williams Bruce Springsteen ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/49 "2013-09-05T04:26:01Z")
Revised since my first post: John Philip Sousa Irving Berlin Richard Rodgers Bob Dylan ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/50 "2013-09-05T14:54:37Z")
Where are the women? Elvis Presley Johnny Cash Ella Fitzgerald (Aretha Franklin or Patsy Cline also in the running) Bob Dylan ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/51 "2013-09-05T15:47:39Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > George Gershwin > Art Tatum > Brian Wilson > Duane Allman I like the way you think. But Duane just wasn’t around long enough to be included IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/52 "2013-09-05T15:59:42Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > Where are the women? Largely relegated to societal expectations of the time. They were allowed to sing, but mostly not write, nor create genres. Not fair, but reality. Much as I like Memphis Minnie, Billie Holiday, Patsy Cline, and others, they don’t rate Rushmore. Mahalia Jackson comes the closest in my estimation, because she is the face of gospel music. But gospel music doesn’t quite rise to the level of “American Music in 4 faces” level. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/53 "2013-09-05T16:12:00Z")
I did have Odetta in my “five through eight” group. A phenomenal interpreter of several strains at the heart of American musics. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/54 "2013-09-05T18:09:47Z")
One obvious woman would be **“Mother” Maybelle Carter**. You can draw a straight line from the Carters up through pretty much all of Country Music - and country music royalty with the Johnny Cash connection, etc. Add to that the fact that her guitar playing was very, very innovative - simple counterpoint basslines that put the groove in the low end - influenced all country guitar, e.g., Travis picking - and arguably led to twang guitar - e.g., Duane Eddy’s instrumental work and surf guitar. And she played a badass Gibson L-5 archtop with banjo tuners - an iconic guitar. Others might be Marian Anderson, Mahalia Jackson, Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie (whose version of When the Levee Breaks led to Zep’s). Of course folks like Aretha the Queen - but I would go for Carole King from a songwriting standpoint… ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/55 "2013-09-06T03:34:53Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Largely relegated to societal expectations of the time. They were allowed to sing, but mostly not write, nor create genres. > > Not fair, but reality. Much as I like Memphis Minnie, Billie Holiday, Patsy Cline, and others, they don’t rate Rushmore. Mahalia Jackson comes the closest in my estimation, because she is the face of gospel music. But gospel music doesn’t quite rise to the level of “American Music in 4 faces” level. Well, in fairness, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra have gotten several mentions here and neither of them are really thought of as songwriters. I’d personally put Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Aretha Franklin ahead of them on the list. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/56 "2013-09-07T02:52:12Z")
John Coltrane Miles Davis John Phillip Sousa Leonard Bernstein ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/57 "2013-09-07T04:03:48Z")
Pat Boone, Will Smith, Tipper Gore and Reba McIntyre ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/58 "2013-09-08T21:39:12Z")
Johnny Cash Emmylou Harris Chad Mitchell Elvis Presley ---
**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 8, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/59 "2013-09-08T23:20:36Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Going two different directions: > > MOST INFLUENTIAL ON THEIR INSTRUMENT: > > Drums: Buddy Rich ::grinds teeth:: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966/60 "2013-09-09T03:20:53Z")
Without reading any of the replies in the thread: George Gershwin Robert Johnson Hank Williams Chuck Berry [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-mount-rushmore-of-american-music/667966.md?page=4)