Most Influential American Musician of All Time?

Pawlowski6132: I had doubts about the Elvis musicianship (apart from singing, of course) until I saw his '68 "comeback" video.
He was circle-jamming with a big honkin' acoustic and
was "playin' guitar just like a ringin' a bell"...
I think you are confusing "musician" with "writer".

I nominate John Philip Sousa.

Gs5556 I believe has this one right. If the question is "influential", the answer would have to be Handy based on his influence on all of the major American music forms: blues, country, jazz and rock.

It's a stretch to call classical an "American" music form. With the exception of any of the classical artists named here, pretty much all of the rest of the names can at least partially trace their roots back to Handy.

Jimi Hendrix

somehow the word 'influential' got lost in this thread, and substituted with 'greatest'

Duke Ellington and Gershwin would stand out.

This is a great thread!