Most Influential American Musician of All Time?

Robert Johnson is an inspired choice, particularly since his influence is based on so little recorded music and since he died so young. Had he lived longer and recorded more, I expect more people would understand how influtential he was on rock music. It's amazing that his influence didn't really even begin until he was "discovered" over two decades after his death.

W.C. Handy. First to use the 12-bar blues which underlies most of the music genres. Chuck Berry turned it into rock and roll and the rest is history from there.

I owuld vote Les Paul or Miles TG

There is no 'greatest'.

There are people who define an era or particular kind of music.

Analogtroll beat me to the naming of one: Woodrow Wilson (Woody) Guthrie.

Then, of course there are the big-time commercial successes like Bernstien and Gershwin and Armstrong.

Someone mentioned the Beatles...which are, of course one of many British Bands that introduced White America to The Blues.

Thank you, everybody for leaving Irving Berlin out of it.

Ah, let the controversy roll....(and rock!)

Frank Zappa.