Best American Songwriter?

[Asithappens 974]

In the "modern era" (so no Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Scott Joplin, et al).

Bob Dylan is probably at the pinnacle, so let's just get that out of the way.

Next? I like Jackson Browne.  Late for the Sky is, well, transcendent. The Pretender isn't too bad, either. But Late for the Sky? The Best.

Neil Diamond. I wish I had a Hall 0' Neil in my house. He is a good Brooklyn jew. I love that guy.

Tom Petty is also up there. 

A friend of mine says James Taylor. I say yeah, he's good, but he's no Jackson Browne.

 

[Nole-4-Life 804]

Henley/Frey.

James Taylor

[crash_davis 23113]

good list.

https://www.laweekly.com/music/top-20-singer-songwriters-of-all-time-4632680

 

[Asithappens 974]

1 minute ago, crash_davis said:

good list.

https://www.laweekly.com/music/top-20-singer-songwriters-of-all-time-4632680

 

Nice, but Leonard Cohen isn't US of A American. Nor is Gordon Lightfoot.

That's a great list, but no way, imo, is Springsteen higher than Jackson Browne.

No way, eh?

[HouTex 1867]

Off the top of my head, in addition to Dylan, Springsteen and Browne:

Guy Clark

Jimmy Webb 

Brian Wilson

[Art Vandelay 1712]

First three that come to mind, other than Dylan...

Townes Van Zandt

Guy Clark

Paul Simon

[Asithappens 974]

17 minutes ago, HouTex said:

Off the top of my head, in addition to Dylan, Springsteen and Browne:

Guy Clark

Jimmy Webb 

Brian Wilson

Brian Wilson. Good one.

 

[Upgrayedd 5812]

Carole King

[Asithappens 974]

3 minutes ago, Upgrayedd said:

Carole King

Yeah, good one.

That reminds me. Patti Smith is way overrated.

[ztejas 43455]

1 hour ago, Asithappens said:

Next? I like Jackson Browne.  Late for the Sky is, well, transcendent. The Pretender isn't too bad, either. But Late for the Sky? The Best.

He wrote These Days when he was 16*.

Edited February 1, 2019 by ztejas

[ztejas 43455]

Jeff Tweedy

Just looked at the LA Weekly list, Prince is another good one. 

And I'm just tossing names out there. Obviously the answer is Dylan. 

Edited February 1, 2019 by ztejas

[jimmyjazz 45961]

John Prine

[Art Vandelay 1712]

Todd Snider belongs somewhere on the list too, IMO. 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

Paul Simon is in that list along with James Taylor and few already mentioned 

[Rip76 4928]

Are we talking all around great lyrics and great music?

Or just really good songs not really caring about lyrical content?

[IDIOTsavant 8486]

Jason Isbell deserves a mention. Still needs a couple more albums to make his way up the list.

[Rip76 4928]

Most likely Top 3 for me:

Tom Petty

Jackson Browne

Billy Joel

Ryan Adams wouldn’t be too far behind them.

[BoomMF 1399]

Paul Simon, eh?

[jimmyjazz 45961]

49 minutes ago, Rip76 said:

Are we talking all around great lyrics and great music?

Or just really good songs not really caring about lyrical content?

Technically (except in the loosest of definitions) it's not a song without the words . . . I think that kinda puts some emphasis on the lyrics.

[Deej 76799]

Somewhere on the list...

J.J. Cale

Warren Zevon

[PantsTent 2002]

I'll add Slaid Cleaves for a more local guy.

[ztejas 43455]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

Technically (except in the loosest of definitions) it's not a song without the words . . . I think that kinda puts some emphasis on the lyrics.

Yeah "songwriting" has always meant more about the lyrics to me. 

[Paul Wesley 3278]

4 hours ago, crash_davis said:

 

https://www.laweekly.com/music/top-20-singer-songwriters-of-all-time-4632680

 

Elliot Smith?  Because he was real real sad, you say, LA Weekly?

Get the fuck out of here.

I guess lists have to include some dumb shit so people will talk about them.  Mission accomplished.  

Patty Griffin and Elton John merit top-20 consideration.  

[Guest]

Willie Fucking Nelson never did shit...but write some badass songs.

Willie Dixon was somewhat influential( rolleyes)

[Bogeywon 2519]

Hank William Sr 

 

[Seger78 258]

Townes #1A

John Prine #1B

 

[Trey3216 15346]

Without overlapping those listed:

You could add Robert Johnson for being about 4-5 decades ahead of the game.  

Charlie and Bruce Robison are both hellacious songwriters.  

 

 

 

[Hate 20108]

Robert Hunter\Jerry Garcia and John Barlow\Bob Weir.

[Bookman 4639]

Conor Oberst

[jimmyjazz 45961]

Y'all are slacking.  Paul Westerberg can spin a lyric & melody better than 90% of those who have been named.

[bluto 4929]

How the f has Kristofferson not been mentioned yet? 

[Upgrayedd 5812]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

Y'all are slacking.  Paul Westerberg can spin a lyric & melody better than 90% of those who have been named.

Good one

[Bull Horn 118]

Jim Croce - limited in volume but had some great ones.

[ohchaucer 1443]

Most already listed, but my favorites:

Prine

Zevon

Patty Griffin (though sure of her best recordings aren't things she wrote)

Matt Houck (phosphorescent)

TVZ

Lyle Lovett

Matt Berninger

Tweedy

Gram Parsons

Alejandro Escoveda

[Bojack 2081]

Stevie Wonder. 

I think Josh Ritter is one of the great American songwriters.

 

[GhostOfTomJoad 9325]

Y'all are gonna be shocked when I say Bruce, right? 

Most of the bigs have all been mentioned in some fashion. Carole King's genius needs to recognized again & again.

Guy Clark, Steve Earle & James McMurtry definitely deserve to be in the 'others receiving votes' list.

 

 

[ohchaucer 1443]

Dammit, how did I forget McMurtry?!

And at the base of the barstool, there's a drain in the floor,
You better not go in there, if you don't know what that's for....

[ztejas 43455]

Here's a good question: where does rap/hip-hop fall?

Can I list Eminem and Kendrick Lamar as great American "songwriters"?

[ztejas 43455]

I mean stuff like this deserves a mention:

 

[jimmyjazz 45961]

These should be on any list of great American songwriters:

 

Dolly Parton

Smokey Robinson

Johnny Cash

Roger Miller

Buddy Holly

Woodie Guthrie

Chrissie Hynde

John Fogerty

Aimee Mann

Randy Newman

 

[Gil Bang 25960]

stephen stills is a great one

[Steel Shank 9426]

On 2/1/2019 at 4:23 PM, jimmyjazz said:

John Prine

This

[Steel Shank 9426]

Then probably Kris.

[PRONG HORN 3146]

 

Shake Russell

[Post Oak 20217]

12 hours ago, Bojack said:

Stevie Wonder. 

I think Josh Ritter is one of the great American songwriters.

 

He's great.  My favorite

 

[Neonmoon 38129]

I agree on Jackson Browne

I nominate Jeff Tweedy 

[ztejas 43455]

7 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

I agree on Jackson Browne

I nominate Jeff Tweedy 

Ya miss my comment there, guy?

[Al_4_ISU 12464]

Mike Cooley hasn't been mentioned yet.

Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, and Evan Felker are all brilliant but haven't been around long enough for inclusion perhaps.

[baboso 6056]

On 2/1/2019 at 9:01 PM, Paul Wesley said:

Elliot Smith?  Because he was real real sad, you say, LA Weekly?

Get the fuck out of here.

I guess lists have to include some dumb shit so people will talk about them.  Mission accomplished.  

Patty Griffin and Elton John merit top-20 consideration.  

Bernie Taupin says get the fuck out of here.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

31 minutes ago, baboso said:

Bernie Taupin says get the fuck out of here.

Is Bernie American ?