Jesus is this thread all over the place but America and allot aren't even true " Rock " bands , we need to set some parameters of what " an American rock band " represents to the era of Rock .
#1 They must be American ,the Brits smoke fags & nothing is less cool than smoking a fag " British term for ciggerette " not sexual idenity .
#2 The band must be hard partiers & can't go back to the hotel & play dungeons & dragons & eat bean sprouts like Rush who are Canadian progressive Rock .
#3 At least 3 of their songs should be known by name by every music fan .
#4 The band can't have easy listening or balads that killed rock ,if I want to hear a ballad it'll be from Frank Sinatra not Bruce Springsteen .
With that said why are we even discussing past the Jimi Hendrix Experience ,they weren't a solo act with backing bands ,they were hard partiers ,every person on the planet can name at least 3 of their songs , and which band had even an equal impact on the direction of Rock music as the Hendrix Experience .
A close 2nd would be Grand Funk , they played great rock n roll tunes that everybody can name 3 songs ,they partied hard and ran through groupies like a snow plow ,and their songs were based on topics uniquely American .
If we're going for technical ability and extreme musicianship then it's a no brainier with the Mothers of Invention ,with master musicians with years studying at conservatories like George Duke ,Jean Luc-Ponty , Vinnie Coliuta ,Chester Thompson ,Warren Cucurillo & Steve Vai just to list a small portion of world class level players ,and everybody here can name 3 songs even if they are just some of the comedy songs like Yellow Snow ,Stink Foot and Valley Girl .
For me it's the Hendrix Experience .