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by **Juan_Bottom** on Sun Nov 11, 2012 11:30 pm

Here are the Kings of American Music.

show: Michael Jackson the King of Pop

show: Elmore James the King of the Slide Guitar

show: Elvis Presley the King of Rock N Roll

show: Garth Brooks the King of Country Music

show: B.B King the King of the Blues

show: Jimi Hendrix the King of the Electric Guitar

show: Paul Whiteman the King of Jazz

show: James Brown the King of Soul

show: Dick Dale the King of Surfer Guitar

show: Scott Joplin the King of Ragtime

show: George Jones the King of Country

show: Harry Belafonte the King of Calypso

show: Carl Lee Perkins the King of Rockabilly

show: John Lee Hooker the King of Blues

show: Otis Redding the King of Soul

show: Stevie B the King of Freestyle

show: Fats Domino the king of Rock N Roll

show: Andy Williams the King of Easy Listening

show: Bill Haley the King of Rock N Roll

show: Benny Goodman the King of Swing

show: R. Kelly the King of RnB

show: Emilio Navaira the King of Tejano

show: John Coltrane the King of Jazz

show: Roy Acuff the King of Country Music

show: Kurtis Blow the King of Rap

show: Daddy Yankee the King of Reggaeton

by **thegreekdog** on Mon Nov 12, 2012 9:13 am

I would say Elvis Presley. John Coltraine, or Kurtis Blow.

And I thought Hendrix was a Brit.

EDIT - I think of rock, jazz, and rap as American music, although rock was arguably perfected in the UK.

by **Timminz** on Mon Nov 12, 2012 10:49 am

Having multiple people listed as "The King of [the same thing]" is weird. They should all be changed to "A King of..."

by **AndyDufresne** on Mon Nov 12, 2012 3:58 pm

A king of Blues is tough, since each region sort of had their own champion. I don't think I'd ever be able to decide a definitive king of Blues...or at least one I wouldn't come back to again and rethink later!

--Andy

by **muy_thaiguy** on Mon Nov 12, 2012 11:24 pm

thegreekdog wrote:I would say Elvis Presley. John Coltraine, or Kurtis Blow.

And I thought Hendrix was a Brit.

EDIT - I think of rock, jazz, and rap as American music, although rock was arguably perfected in the UK.

Depends on how you look at rock. Though, it did orginate in the US.

King of Rock, well, generally Elvis is given that title, but I'd say someone like Little Richard is more suited for the title.

by **Juan_Bottom** on Mon Nov 12, 2012 11:47 pm

These are Honorary titles that performers have been given, or are called. So there's multiple repeats to argue about, like the King of Soul, or Rock. I sincerely question Otis Redding's being the King of Soul.

That Elmore James song rocked me so hard that I'm sterile now. I deserve it.

I was surprised to find that I like Daddy Yankee too. BUT SCOTT JOPLIN IS THE KING OF KINGS, RAGTIME YOU F*CKFACES, RAGTIME. That motherf*cker wrote the Pinnapple Rag. Don't you get that? He changed your great-great-grandfather's life with that joint.

by **Army of GOD** on Tue Nov 13, 2012 1:13 am

How did Hendrix get that nickname?

I've never liked his guitar playing. He might've been innovative, yes, but hardly the greatest. BB King was a better electric guitar player than him.

by **whitestazn88** on Tue Nov 13, 2012 1:51 am

R. Kelly.

I'm going to have a "Trapped in the Closet" livestream marathon on justin.tv the first weekend in december, I hope you can all join and discuss the greatness that is Kels with me.

by **whitestazn88** on Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:02 am

also, ignition (remix) is not representative of R. Kelly's R&B suavity. I'd go with Step in the Name of Love, Happy People, I Wish, I Believe I Can Fly, I'm A Flirt, or Hotel. Each duo of songs I've presented, show varying degrees of the R&B scale, all of which Kels can do well. The first two identify with wholesome african american family life, and the unconditional love that is held there. The second two show his ability to really portray emotional strength in the face of the "bad" life typical of the poor african-american community. And the last 2 show his "let's get down to fuggzin"/club hit ability.

The dude did a collabo album with Jay-Z, arguably the greatest contemporary rapper, and then feuded with him while on tour, reportedly leading to some of his crew killing a member of Hova's (not sure if it was killed or maimed, but killed sounds better). Hov didn't even do anything about it, because Kels is that legit and cool and smooth and playboy.

Once "Trapped in the Closet: The Next Installment" comes out, he will have over 40 "tracks" that form a "hip-hopera", something no other artist has done, and while the quality of the music and lyrics may not be his best, the fact that he's able to even continue a rhyming storyline that, while quirky and outlandish, continues to flourish. He described it as an "alien" because of how it has been able to continue growing, seemingly on its own volition, as Kelly has in the meantime written and made a bunch of other tracks (and even an album if I'm not mistaken).

So yeah, he's a bit of a joke at times, and being the King of R&B probably isn't as awesome of a title as King of Rock and Roll, but I really do think that at the end of the day, people will look back at R. Kelly's career with fondness.

by **PLAYER57832** on Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:06 am

Overall, it would have to be Elvis Presley, just because he so fundamentally changed American/world music (even though, yes, he was in the "right place at the right time" to a large extent.... it still was him there).

I like Juan's list, however Jazz MUST be Louie Armstrong and Garth Brooks does not belong as king of country.. almost anyone is ahead of him.. George Jones is close, but I would put Woodie Guthrie in first, because he came first.... almost anyone is ahead of him. Bob Dylan certainly deserves mention.

by **notyou2** on Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:11 pm

Army of GOD wrote:How did Hendrix get that nickname?

I've never liked his guitar playing. He might've been innovative, yes, but hardly the greatest. BB King was a better electric guitar player than him.

BLASPHEMY!!!!!!

by **notyou2** on Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:13 pm

Nobody, NOBODY, can do what Hendrix did with an electric guitar.

by **thegreekdog** on Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:16 pm

notyou2 wrote:Nobody, NOBODY, can do what Hendrix did with an electric guitar.

I think people can. Jack White and Tom Morello immediately come to mind.

by **notyou2** on Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:24 pm

I love Jack White, don't know the other guy. However, when Jimi was alive they did not have nearly as many effects they could do with petals, etc, today. I truly believe we will never see another guitarist with the skills that Jimi possessed, I am not saying he was the best at everything, but he could do so many things no one else could. He played feedback like no others, and that was just one of his skills.