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

It seems like everyone (me included) is just naming good bands. The OT was about the 'greatest' American band. Most of the bands named are really good but few of them rate anywhere near 'greatest'. No one will agree on one greatest, obviously......but that list should be fairly short, I would think.

Atta boy Bill ;-). When NRBQ appeared on David Sanborn's TV show, he introduced them as one of the great R & R bands in the world. Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, and Elvis Costello also held that opinion. Rock 'n' Roll obviously means different things to different people. I should qualify my nomination of NRBQ as being only when Al Anderson was in the band.

I would vote for the Grateful Dead as well.   The band is a melting pot of musical influences.  At the time of their formation here was the lineup:

Jerry Garcia-Accomplished bluegrass banjo player.
Bob Weir-Folkie
Pigpen-Blues singer and harp player
Phil Lesh-Trumpet player and classical composer
Bill Kreutzmann-Jazz drummer
Mickey Hart-Studied with Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa so jazz is in his DNA as well.

It all came together to form one of the most unique and long lasting bands in history.  

marqmike, Traffic was a British band. At least Winwood was British. 

whart, on what basis do you say that The Band was not an American band? I generally consider Canada to be American. Maybe "American" just means U.S.A.? That would take The Band out of consideration.

Not sure why anyone would say the Eagles were not rock and roll. They got most of their air time on rock stations and I'm pretty sure they primarily charted on rock/pop charts. They did chart on country charts too but I doubt anything on Hotel California would be considered anything but rock. Not defending the Eagles. They were never my cup of tea but if they weren't rock what were they?

MC5