Mount Rockmore - Male and Female

[Ladyboy_Floyd]

Gentlemen,

As many of you are seeing, justifying the omitted ones is the hardest thing about this challenge.

Leaving off artists of the quality Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, James Brown, Johnny Cash, et al, really warped my mind!

[PigDogg]

My list is who should be on Mount Rockmore (mens list), not by personal favorites:

Elvis
Michael Jax

The above are locks. Room for two more and I'll go with the two below:

Springsteen
Dylan

I think both Elvis and MJ are extremely overated but you just can't leave them off.

[JaiDee]

(Ladyboy_Floyd @ Mar. 15 2010,20:02) Leaving off artists of the quality Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, James Brown, Johnny Cash, et al, really warped my mind!

Obviously we are all putting the artists we all liked best or influenced US the most, not just the most important ones.

I would never even consider these 4 because I'd never listen to them, although they are obviously more important than Johnny Ramone in regards to their contributions to American music, Elvis Presely also of course.

I did like "Ring of Fire" and a few others by Johnny Cash though; and the movie with Jaoquin Pheonix and Reese Witherspoon about his life was fantastic BTW, and they both sang their own parts.....she got an Oscar for her role!

[guydesavoy]

(PigDogg @ Mar. 15 2010,20:12) My list is who should be on Mount Rockmore (mens list), not by personal favorites:

Elvis
Michael Jax

The above are locks.  Room for two more and I'll go with the two below:

Springsteen
Dylan

I think both Elvis and MJ are extremely overated but you just can't leave them off.

Good choices.   But I have to disagree about the overrated bit. And as much as I love The Boss, i can't imagine that Hendrix wouldn't be there  

Did the Ramones get a look in on the album thread ? Thought that was a glaring omission.

The funny thing about excluding the Canadians is (apart from NEIL YOUNG), Joni Mitchell is the only woman I can think of...or Janis maybe.

[JaiDee]

yes, I believe someone put the first one; a ground-breaking sonic-sounding effort to be sure.

[guydesavoy]

I am reassured

[pacman]

Dylan, Elvis, Johnny Cash & out of Springsteen & Hendrix, I have to go with the Boss, Bruce Springsteen.

Elvis could be debated but how can any short list of great American artists leave him out? That's why I include him over Chuck Berry, a more influential song writer, but not in the same category as a performing artist.

Dylan & Cash can't be denied on any grounds. Both their careers & output are nothing short of amazing.

As for women, I can see how Aretha should be there. I like Gladys Knight, Tina Turner & Diana Ross too. But which one do I leave out if I insist on including the girl who is setting sales records from one end of this country to the other.

And I am not talking about Britney or Christina or Madonna. I am referring to Pink who I believe has already become the highest grossing American female artist of all time here in Oz in short time.

If she keeps the momentum up, she is going to dwarf all her contemporaries. Maybe it is just an Australian phenomenon but no female has come even close to her latest tour. 78 sold out concerts around the country after she had only been here less than 12 months previously.

[f0xxee]

Etta James for the chick. And yes she did rock as well as Soul, R and B and Blues.

[Ladyboy_Floyd]

Gentlemen,

Glad to be getting some spirited discussion here - keep it going!

As always, the estimable Pacman has offered excellent and insightful commentary. I tend to agree with him about Pink's talent; she's very impressive and I like her music. Just don't think her career is long enough yet to immortalize her in granite - tho' did you SEE her on the Grammy Awards broadcast?!!!

[Lefty]

Actually the first two names to go on your monument should be John Lee Hooker and B.B. King. I wish to amend my 4 to be those two plus Dylan and Cash.

[Bumpa STIKKA]

Oh yeah... Young is a Canadian. OK... Substitute him with Steve Stills.

[jimslim]

(Lefty @ Mar. 16 2010,13:52) Actually the first two names to go on your monument should be John Lee Hooker and B.B. King.

I'll go with that , add Smokey Robinson , Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye .

Aretha , Maxine Brown and Big Maybelle for the chicks

[Ladyboy_Floyd]

(Bumpa STIKKA @ Mar. 16 2010,14:54) Oh yeah... Young is a Canadian. OK... Substitute him with Steve Stills.  

Bumpa et al,

Steve Stills attended my high school, along (although not all at the same time) with Tom Petty and two of the original Eagles - Bernie Leadon and Don Felder. Pretty good talent, that!

This year, CS&N are opening for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on some of their late-summer tour dates...

[Lefty]

(jimslim @ Mar. 17 2010,00:54)

(Lefty @ Mar. 16 2010,13:52) Actually the first two names to go on your monument should be John Lee Hooker and B.B. King.

I'll go with that , add Smokey Robinson , Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye .

Aretha , Maxine Brown and Big Maybelle for the chicks  

IMO, when it comes to the ladies, the #1 name has to be Ella Fitzgerald. Aretha Franklin I would agree on too.
Another name I'd suggest would be Bessie Smith

Also it was remiss of me to not include the Duke. Any monument of the four most influential rock, R&B musicians of all time has to include Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington. How could anyone forget the great contributions and influence of future generations that Louis Armstrong had too? Another name that comes to mind is Count Basie. My top 4 male and female lists are gaining more color all the time.

Folks often mention Elvis, but where did he get his influence from? Try Jimmie Rodgers for one. A lot of contemporary musicians credit Rodgers.

Here is my revised list of the top 4 men:

1. John Lee Hooker
2. Duke Ellington
3. Louis Armstrong
4. Jimmie Rodgers

Top 4 ladies who come to mind would be:

1. Ella Fitzgerald
2. Dinah Washington
3. Bessie Smith
4. Aretha Franklin

[Ladyboy_Floyd]

(Lefty @ Mar. 18 2010,13:17)

(jimslim @ Mar. 17 2010,00:54)

(Lefty @ Mar. 16 2010,13:52) Actually the first two names to go on your monument should be John Lee Hooker and B.B. King.

I'll go with that , add Smokey Robinson , Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye .

Aretha , Maxine Brown and Big Maybelle for the chicks  

IMO, when it comes to the ladies, the #1 name has to be Ella Fitzgerald. Aretha Franklin I would agree on too.
Another name I'd suggest would be Bessie Smith

Also it was remiss of me to not include the Duke. Any monument of the four most influential rock, R&B musicians of all time has to include Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington. How could anyone forget the great contributions and influence of future generations that Louis Armstrong had too? Another name that comes to mind is Count Basie. My top 4 male and female lists are gaining more color all the time.  

Folks often mention Elvis, but where did he get his influence from? Try Jimmie Rodgers for one. A lot of contemporary musicians credit Rodgers.

Here is my revised list of the top 4 men:

1. John Lee Hooker
2. Duke Ellington
3. Louis Armstrong
4. Jimmie Rodgers

Top 4 ladies who come to mind would be:

1. Ella Fitzgerald
2. Dinah Washington
3. Bessie Smith
4. Aretha Franklin

Lefty,

Good choices and well-reasoned arguments, all. Just may be moving a bit off the "rock" target, though...