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Who Are The Top Five Unsung Heroes of Americana Music?

So large is the field of Americana as a genre, it's hard even to define what this music actually is.....I have my own ideas and I believe a lot of people do also. I'd love to hear your thoughts on who were the key innovators in the establishment of what we've come to call Americana. I have a list of five, but I'd like to read yours first!

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Permalink Reply by Bill Kuhn on October 23, 2011 at 3:57pm

I'll admit this is a somewhat strange choice, but I think Jerry Garcia may deserve a nod as an 'unsung hero'.

While clearly he was a very famous musician, his contributions to what I'd call 'American music awareness' are worth noting. Others have mentioned NRPS - clearly they wouldn't have existed without Jerry. He did an important job bringing American folk music to a new generation, and his work with Old and In Way, and Dave Grisman are great for finding lesser known treasures.

Don't get me wrong, I know all the bad sides (e.g. endless noodling). But I do believe his contributions in this area don't get the credit they deserve.

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Permalink Reply by Mary Margaret on October 23, 2011 at 4:08pm

I agree- I don't know the bad sides- I'm late in learning about him, first through one of my brothers who was a devoted "dead head" and just this past year I've been listening to Jerry not focusing on the Grateful Dead-something about his voice and his style is unforgettable.

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Permalink Reply by Terry Roland on October 23, 2011 at 9:33pm

@Bill and Margaret, Jerry is, like Bill stated, not known in terms of how he contributed early on to an awareness of American music with projects like Old and In Way, which came out back in the 70's. He started with Jugband music from what I've heard from Geoff Muldar. Even The Dead were infused with Hank Williams and Merle Haggard after they had shown their psychedlic and blues credentials in the late 60s. But, he's not 'unsung,' as much as probably under appreciated and has been historically pigeonholed into a stereo typic view of the Dead.

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Permalink Reply by Curtis Ray Barclift on October 23, 2011 at 7:03pm

Okay, Terry mentions Yank Rachel and Tut Taylor and I see what he's getting at. So, let's say J.B.Hutto, Tony Rice, definitely Otis Taylor, Terry Allen, Jean Shepard, Gary P. Nunn, William Clarke, Johnny Guitar Watson, the Red Stick Ramblers, James Hand. That's off the top of my head. I'm already thinking of more but that's a start. And I'm glad that we're all agreed that Blues is without a doubt Americana music. Oh yeah, my fellow Marylander, the late great Danny Gatton. Okay, I'm finished.

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Permalink Reply by Terry Roland on October 23, 2011 at 9:36pm

Curtis, This year at the AMA's there was a session topic "Is Blues Americana." I didn't got cause of conflicts in my schedule, but that's easy..of course it's Ameriana..at its finest. When I interviewed Michael Martin Murphy, he felt the two major strains of Americana music were country and blues. He felt everything flows from those two...Arguable, but the main point is, Blue is Americana. All of the guys on your list are great.

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Permalink Reply by David Stephens on October 26, 2011 at 8:06am

One record that came to mind for me that ties in the blues and country sounds was Roy Buchanan's first...cuts like Lonesome Fugitive..Hey Good Lookin'..Haunted House...and The Messiah will come again

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Permalink Reply by Terry Roland on October 24, 2011 at 10:55pm

this thread has become so interesting, I'm going to try to talley up the most mentioned to a top ten and post some comments as a feature. This is just for fun...No big meaning to it and very subjective...but, if anyone lurks and feels strongly about chiming in.....Let's see who else comes up or who gets more votes.....so far The Blasters, Roger Miller, Mickey Newbury and Mike Nesmith are all looking good....