QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Who is the most underrated artist or band of all-time?

Local Spins’ Question of the Week (Sept. 24, 2020)

Who is the most underrated artist or band of all-time?

This week’s winner of Local Spins merch: Email subscriber Cole Hansen, who responded to the Question of the Week and was entered into a drawing for a bandana. Sign up for email updates and the weekly newsletter here: https://localspins.com/subscribe-local-spins-mailing-list/

THE READER RESPONSES:

Les Jared – Glenn House

Jamie Geysbeek – Chris Thile

Hans Voss – May Erlewine, Claudia Schmidt, John McKutcheon, The Carter Family

Cynthia Drake – She’s young, but Esperanza Spalding would be my pick.

Eric Kincaid – The most underrated would have to be someone none of us has ever heard of before. Obviously all of the above are rated very highly by some people. Art is not a contest. Do art. Enjoy art. Share art.

Mike Dodge – For guitarists, Mick Ralphs or J Geils

Brian Borbot – Todd Rundgren, Marshall Crenshaw.

John Nowak – Badfinger

Daniel Ellcey – Gord Downie, .best lyricist ever.

Jim Weiler – Mike Ness, Big Sandy, Graham Parker, XTC

Lee Chase – Robbie Fulks has got it all – musicianship, songwriting, vocals, stage presence/delivery and an impressive and eclectic catalogue.

John Wenger – I think GR’s own Danny Heines is one of the most amazingly talented acoustic guitarists.

Nathan Kettle – A band called 3. I’m not particularly into metal, but they weren’t like any other hard band I’ve heard. Heavy progressive rock with sweeping melodies driven by flamenco-style acoustic guitar. So good.

Ken Visser – Danny Gatton

Mark Sellers – JJ Cale (not to be confused with John Cale), Richard Thompson, Dave Alvin

Richard B. Kelley – Like any music list mine is fluid and subjective. At the moment I would say Datura4 from Australia have four albums any classic or trad rocker would love. Alt-Americana, cow-punker Lydia Loveless. Post rock, doom metalists, Lotus Thief from San Francisco. Finally, up and coming southern rockers, the Georgia Thunderbolts. Ask me next week and the list will have changed. More to the point of John’s question would be unheralded, long time artists. I would include Charlie Sexton from Austin. Motorpsycho from Norway or Sweden (I forget which). Dr. Feelgood, ’70s pub rockers from the UK. Kyuss/Vista Chino from the LA desert. Rainmakers from Missouri.

Craig Carrick – Lisa Gerrard: Well known in other countries but not so much here. She is the female vocalist in Dead Can Dance and numerous other projects. A crazy vocal range and probably filed under the “world music” category she’s truly an adventurous thrill seeker musically and travels the world in search of influence. She shades her music with every imaginable influence and the fact that she’s on a constant search is what impresses me as she is a true artist-staying true to her vision and influences rather than audience, ticket sales and critics. She’s the real deal-but if you don’t share her adventure and are stuck in the classic rock world, she probably won’t do much for ya.

Chad Michael Wedeven – Jethro Tull and Patty Griffin are great picks. I would add Get Set Go, Eric Matthews, Guided By Voices, Lisa Germano, Lisa Hannigan, and our own Crane Wives, who should be huge.

Stephen Aldrich – Judea Sill, more understanding of Bach than most classical musicians. Among many sad things about her, there’s only 2 albums, both unlike anything you will ever hear.

Kim Masters – Alynda Segarra leads band Hurray for the Riff Raff. Check out her autobiographical album The Navigator. Fantastic!

Mark Svekric – Ian Anderson

Mike Ensing – Otis Redding. During his lifetime. One of a kind singer, arranger, producer. Sadly his tragic death brought him a number 1 single “The Dock Of The Bay” and then brought proper attention to his stellar catalogue. His stage presence, voice, creativity was astounding, still can’t believe he was only 26 when the plane crashed.

Dan Terpstra – 1) Gary Louris / The Jayhawks; 2) Matt Johnson / The The; 3) Tim Booth / James; 4) Colin Hay / Men at Work. So many others.

Isaac Powrie – JJ Cale, Bob Weir, Aqueous, Railroad Earth

Arthur Chrysler – Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser – Guitarist for Blue Oyster Cult

Dave Adams – Guitar: Terry Kath; Bass and various instruments: John Paul Jones; Drums: Steve Gadd; Keyboards: Donald Fagen; Vocals: Brad Delp

Michael Packer – I’d rate Jaco Pastorius or Miroslav Vitous among the best bassists who ever played, but that was my instrument so I’m biased. (Maybe put Chris Squire in there as well!)

Art Griffin – Rik Emmett of Triumph had an extraordinary voice. His highs were very high.

Bradley Raffenaud – Mugison

CT Revere – Underrated is a different dynamic that includes public exposure as a factor. In my experience, David Baerwald (who was one of the Davids in the band David and David) deserves to be better known as a singer songwriter. My favorite unappreciated guitarist is Buzz Feitan, who played with

Virginia Anzengruber – Aesop Rock

John W. Hartel – I agree that underrated is somewhat different than underappreciated. Most early progressive rock/crossover jazz rock artists are underappreciated, yet are largely rated highly by experts and those in-the-know.

Kathy Grinsteiner – I had never walked out of a concert until Jethro Tull. To each their own. The beauty of music.

Stephen Aldrich – How ‘bout some from this century?

Thomas Leonard Saxe – How about Michael Hedges, late 20th century?

John Sinkevics – 1) Jethro Tull; 2) John Cale 3) Alejandro Escovedo 4) Steve Earle 5) Patty Griffin

Patches Bearman – Nick Drake, Kris Kristofferson, Ry Cooder, Peter Green, T. Rex, Mahavishnu Orchestra

Doug Chesnut – Virtually all local musicians

Dansir McCullough – Frankie Miller

Randy Scott Marsh – My pick is Organissimo. We have released 7 great CDs and yet have never gotten the recognition we deserve.

Scott Steiner – Scott McCaughey and any band he’s been part of including Young Fresh Fellows, The Baseball Project, Minus 5, Tired Pony, and Filthy Friends, but excluding REM

Tom Sydloski – Steve Earle for sure. It’s too soon, but I would add his son Justin Townes Earle.

Kevin Riley – Steve Earle, Marshal Crenshaw, Rory Gallagher.

Brian Haik – Rory Gallagher & Robby Krieger (not only a great guitarist, but wrote more hits then Morrison did).

Mark Vandenberge – Donald Fagen and Mark Knopfler on the white guy side, Black artists, men and women, too numerous to be mention here.

Mike Filkins – Franz Schuber: composed close to 700 works, including no doubt the best composer of lieder ever. Some great symphonies and amazing chamber works and he died at the age of 31…no one refers to anyone as “the next Schubert” like they do Mozart, but I feel that Schubert’s music is far more mature.

Kevin John – Joshua Davis

Harry Oman – Ry Cooder

Cole Hansen – I’ve loved Jethro Tull for a long time and have seen them live more than any other band. Not the coolest band to be into as a kid in the late ‘90s but I did make friends with a bunch of my dad’s friends so I guess there’s that. Right, Mark Swanson? Lol. A friend in high school turned me into Patty Griffin. I’ve loved her for decades also.

Lin Otherlyn – The late Roy Buchanan.
Steve Damstra – Karla Bonoff, Dan Fogelberg

James Paauwe – Kevin Gilbert

Daniel P Hudelson – Richard Thompson – a unique songwriter with a vision of infinite depth, gifted guitarist, engaging entertainer. Still going strong, since the ‘60s.

Christian J. VanAntwerpen – 1. Laura Nyro- the fact that she is not a household name is a flat out crime; 2. Solomon Burke; 3. Lee Morgan; 4. Labi Siffre; 5. Patrice Rushen

Roger Kintner – Joe Ely.

Andrew Ogrodzinski – Guthrie Goven, Mike Keneally, Alan Holdsworth and Captain Beefheart.

Rick Slachta – NRBQ!!!

Mike Gilbert – Warren Zevon, Joe Pernice, The Replacements/Paul Westerberg

John Loader – Rory Gallagher. Back in the late sixties, Jimi Hendrix was on a popular afternoon talk show, The Mike Douglas Show. When Mike Douglas asked Jimi “What’s it was like to be the best rock guitarist in the world?” Jimi responded “I don’t know, you’ll have to ask Rory Gallagher.”

Dino Mor – Rodriguez, Ray Barretto (for the Jazzers), Doug Sahm

Chad Hendrickson = I have a couple to add:
1) Guided by Voices
2) The Pixies (I get recently they are starting to get the respect they deserve)

Gayle Raymer – JJ Cale

Linda Rankin – Martin Sexton

Chuck Whiting – Michael Nesmith

Charles Honey – Yes to Steve Earle. Also Jeff Lynne, a brilliant songwriter and producer who rarely gets critical nods despite all those ELO gems

James Paauwe – Gino Vanelli

Lee Chase – Kings X, Afghan Whigs, Moby Grape, Tommy Bolin… On and on…

Chad Stanton – For one: the brilliant musician, singer and Irish songwriter Mr. Paul Brady. And kind of like J.J. Cale used to be, unknown to many even though millions of people in this country have heard his songs!

Jillian Mccormack – Jake Kershaw should be headlining at the State Theatre with Out of Favor Boys opening for him

Jeff Larsen – Bob Mould/Husker Du/Sugar

Ryne Clarke – The Kinks!

Michelle Lynn – Butch Walker.

Jakey Thomas – DISTANT STARS, duh

Michelle Georvassilis – Question Mark and the Mysterians

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