For Music Fans and Music Buffs

[Ban Basketball]

If you follow the strict guidelines, you'll find this a harder exercise than you think.  I still have only selected one, but second guess it all of the time.

My son asked me last weekend, as he does many other music fans , that if there was a Mount Rushmore of musicians, which four musicians should be on it?

Criteria to consider (which is what makes it so tough):

• Individuals, no bands.
• Your consideration must include everything:  talent, impact on music, impact on the world, etc.
• Can (and should) include any style of music.

He dropped it on a bunch of us at a family gathering last weekend.  No one came up with all four at once, but here were some smattering of names mentioned at the gathering.  Beethoven, Prince (what?!), Joni Mitchell (what?!), Bob Dylan, Ozzy Osbourne, Michael Jackson, Shania Twain (what?!), John Lennon, and Paul McCartney.

My one and only pick, influenced by my other son, is Bob Dylan, but I question it every day.

 

[GreatWhiteNorth]

On a lighter note than some recent threads, I like this one...

• Willie Nelson
• Elvis
• Hendrix
• Aretha

Dylan is runner-up

[Ban Basketball]

I'll keep adding if and when I come up with more, but, for now, I will commit to these two.  That's all that I have for now.

1.  Bob Dylan

2.  Elvis

 

Edited August 12, 2023 by Ban Basketball

[Ban Basketball]

9 minutes ago, GreatWhiteNorth said:

On a lighter note than some recent threads, I like this one...

• Willie Nelson
• Elvis
• Hendrix
• Aretha

Dylan is runner-up

How the heck did several members of my family, myself included, NOT think of Elvis!?  He's immediately #2 for me.

And, most surprisingly, I'm not even remotely an Elvis fan.  Never listen to him.

Edited August 12, 2023 by Ban Basketball

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Hmmm... have to admit, this is actually quite a bit harder than I thought it would be (you were right.)

Here's my updated Rushmore list:

• Johnny Cash
• Elvis (I'm not a big fan either, but some of my family are huge fans.)
• Aretha Franklin
• Jim Morrison

I'm sure I'll want to change it tomorrow.

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by GreatWhiteNorth

[Ban Basketball]

My youngest son is the one that poses this question to music fans, and he has finally added a third to his list.  

Forever, he had Ozzy and Michael Jackson only.  After this morning, when he and I discussed, Elvis, he now has a third (and he loathes Elvis).

I have several reservations with this exercise, but one that I can't escape is how I am very ignorant of classical and jazz styles of music.  I just KNOW that I'm not doing this justice by not taking into account these styles, particularly classical music.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Since nobody else is playing the game, I'll just make one more post before I finish:

• Johnny Cash
• Elvis
• James Taylor
• Madonna

Good thread, thanks Ban. 

 

[BerniePragle]

Roy Clark
Stevie Ray
Willie Nelson 
John Lennon/Paul McCartney  (Sorry, bent the rules)
HM, Ann Wilson

[Ban Basketball]

Second guessing all of it, but I think I'm at:

1.  Bob Dylan

2.  Elvis

3.  Buddy Holly

[WrestlingRasta]

Bob Marley

Carlton Bennet

Bunny Wailer

[Wrestleknownothing]

Bob Dylan

John Hiatt

Paul Westerberg

For me it comes down to how creative their lyrics are.

[mspart]

Interesting that Brahms, Beethoven, Handel, Mozart etc are not on the list.   Not that I like classical music but their genius is almost beyond compare.   Or is this an exercise about modern english speaking musicians?  If the latter:

Jimmy Page

Eric Clapton

Elton John

Carol King

mspart

[Ban Basketball]

5 minutes ago, mspart said:

Interesting that Brahms, Beethoven, Handel, Mozart etc are not on the list.   Not that I like classical music but their genius is almost beyond compare.   Or is this an exercise about modern english speaking musicians?  If the latter:

Jimmy Page

Eric Clapton

Elton John

Carol King

mspart

I agree with you, and why I am reluctant to actually attempt to do this exercise.  I KNOW I'm probable dead wrong, as I'm not even considering classical and other styles of music.  I don't know enough about it to put any of those names "up there" and I just know that my list isn't really going to be accurate.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

On 8/14/2023 at 12:51 PM, mspart said:

Interesting that Brahms, Beethoven, Handel, Mozart etc are not on the list.   Not that I like classical music but their genius is almost beyond compare.

Note that an earlier post:

On 8/12/2023 at 12:11 AM, Ban Basketball said:

Criteria to consider (which is what makes it so tough):

• Individuals, no bands.
• Your consideration must include everything:  talent, impact on music, impact on the world, etc.
• Can (and should) include any style of music.

None of the classical greats qualify as "individuals"

[GreatWhiteNorth]

... and on that note, my updated list is:

• Johnny Cash
• Elvis
• Bruce Springsteen
• Madonna

(And what is kind of crazy is that JC is the only one on the list that I a personally a big fan of.)

Edited August 17, 2023 by GreatWhiteNorth

[Ban Basketball]

18 hours ago, GreatWhiteNorth said:

Note that an earlier post:

None of the classical greats qualify as "individuals"

Didn't they compose the pieces?

[GreatWhiteNorth]

57 minutes ago, Ban Basketball said:

Didn't they compose the pieces?

Tough call.

If it's an "Individuals, no bands" situation - then it would seem to also be a "no orchestras" situation.

Even if the leader of the band (yes, I snuck in Dan Fogelberg there) composed everything - seems like the band is still not qualified. But what if the band's songs were all written by somebody not in the band?

This game is tricky. You can't name a band for a face on Mount Rushmore. Doesn't mean you can't name the key person in a band... or as part of an orchestra. Or someone not even in the band. That 'criteria' could be interpreted in different ways.

Way more difficult than meets the eye - this is about as difficult as naming the Hodge Trophy winner.

 

[Gus]

My personal Mt Rushmore would be

Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Alan Jackson, Merle Haggard

[Paul158]

2 hours ago, Gus said:

My personal Mt Rushmore would be

Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Alan Jackson, Merle Haggard

Great choices. I would throw in George Jones. (He stopped loving her today)

[Paul158]

I have a mens Mt. Rushmore

George Jones,Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell and George Strait

I also have a Womens Mt. Rushmore

Linda Ronstadt, Jewel, Patsy Cline, and Martina McBride

[Paul158]

10 hours ago, GreatWhiteNorth said:

Tough call.

If it's an "Individuals, no bands" situation - then it would seem to also be a "no orchestras" situation.

Even if the leader of the band (yes, I snuck in Dan Fogelberg there) composed everything - seems like the band is still not qualified. But what if the band's songs were all written by somebody not in the band?

This game is tricky. You can't name a band for a face on Mount Rushmore. Doesn't mean you can't name the key person in a band... or as part of an orchestra. Or someone not even in the band. That 'criteria' could be interpreted in different ways.

Way more difficult than meets the eye - this is about as difficult as naming the Hodge Trophy winner.

 

We should have a separate category for just bands to be fair.

[Ban Basketball]

I personally think that many of these aren't super well thought out, but, oh well.

[Gus]

10 hours ago, Paul158 said:

Great choices. I would throw in George Jones. (He stopped loving her today)

The Opossum

[Paul158]

1 minute ago, Gus said:

The Opossum

He lead a very exciting life to say the least. But he really pulled together at the end.  Great Country singer

[Paul158]

8 hours ago, Ban Basketball said:

I personally think that many of these aren't super well thought out, but, oh well.

I think its ok. Have some fun with it. We get to take a break from all the other crazy stuff we talk about.