Which band IS really America's Greatest (rock & roll band)?

The key turning point for me was Buddy Holly.

He took the mix of Blues and Country and created something new. Paradoxically, he sowed the seeds for the ultimate demise of Rock and Roll by laying the ground for what was to follow ie, the Beatles etc.

The early Beatles music has been described as the melding of Buddy Holly chord structures, Everly Brothers harmonies, and Chet Atkins guitar playing. An over-simplification, but not that far off. I would add other songwriting influences to those of Buddy (Brill Building in particular, but also the likes of Felice and Boudleaux Bryant), and other guitarists (James Burton obviously, for one). Rubber Soul was the last album to show those influences to any great extent, the Rain/Paperback Writer single and then Revolver album a complete departure. By that time, Lennon and McCartney were no longer writing together, and the mix was gone. The strengths and weaknesses of each became apparent, the chemistry between the two sorely missed.

to n80 wikipedia is never wrong is a bold statement--believe what you want but I respectfully disagree.

I am old (70) and now have bad rearing from all the concerts I attended in the late 60s and early 70s, although I kept on going as I aged.

Three bands just blew me away in person and also via recorded music.

The Allman Bros. Band with Duane on the Live at the Fillmore tour in Pittsburgh just before he died still gives me chills as I remember how great they were.   They got their groove back with Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks later.  The basically invented the Southern Rock sound.

The Doors and Janis Joplin with Full Tilt Boogie we’re also amazing.  Sad we lost them so very young.  One final shout out to Canned Heat as they could also cook live.   The drummer is the only original member still alive, but he has kept the band going.

Hearing, not rearing, fruedian slip perhaps, LOL