PLEASE VOTE--favorite male 70's singer-songwriter

[leftofthedial]

I know they are still working, but they started in the 70's (except JT who technically started in the late 60's)

BUT, whaddya think?

I know there are others, but I'm interested in opinions of these. If you vote "Other," let me know who you like.

Thanks!

[anarch]

1. Bill Withers

[leftofthedial]

4. way great writer

I've covered Lean On Me, Just the Two of Us, Ain't No Sunshine When You're Gone . . . great stuff. Thanks!

[blondeatlast]

113. Oh, yeah. Way too underappreciated. nt

[Merrick]

2. Joe Strummer, Roger Waters

[leftofthedial]

3. great, influential writers, but I was not looking for bands

more for solo. Two greats, though! :thumbsup:

[skygazer]

5. Dylan

[leftofthedial]

10. undeniably great, but more influential in the 60's

just for the purposes of this poll. THanks!

[cemaphonic]

53. Blood on the Tracks

I'd say that puts Dylan in the running for the '70s. Billy Joel wishes he could write an album half that good.

[leftofthedial]

71. when it comes to singer songwriters, Dylan is always in the running

that just wasn't what I was looking for.

Blood on the Tracks is my favorite Dylan record to this day and one of my favorites by anyone.

Billy Joel wishes lots of things I bet. I put him on the list as a joke, but he seems to be a popular choice . . . :shrug:

[meegbear]

6. Elton John did not write his songs ...

Bernie Taupin did. He did the music.

[DanCa]

9. Than it's Springsteen

Gotta give props to a guy who does his own material.

[leftofthedial]

25. participating in a songwriting collaboration

is hardly "not doing your own material" IMHO.

A strict lyric-music cowriting team like Taupin-John is pretty rare and is actually quite a challenge. Most cowriters collaborate on both words and music these days.

[leftofthedial]

12. ummm, they cowrote. writing the music is a pretty major part

of writing songs. He and Taupin were the classic pair, as you point out.

Taupin has had very limited success as a lyricist since the end of his collaboration with Reg.

[meegbear]

15. But it's a pair and not a singer/songwriter

[leftofthedial]

19. okay.

I know what you mean.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

55. Uh....The music was a pretty big part of his songs.

;)

Without music, lyrics are poetry.

Taupin would give John the lyrics, and John could roll out the music in as little as half-an-hour. Pretty impressive to ME, anyhow.

[leftofthedial]

80. especially when you consider some of the melodies he wrote then

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Your Song

Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters

Daniel

Candle in the Wind

Rocket Man



some amazing melodies in just a few short years.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

92. Ah, yes.

I love Elton.

:loveya:

[terrya]

7. I agree with Elton John

[DanCa]

8. Can we fuse Springsteen and Elton John into one

Elton John is a god, Bruce Springsteen is my hero, I can't decide.

[leftofthedial]

76. now there would be a gender-confused mess!

:rofl:

[DanCa]

81. But a musically talented gender confused mess

:rofl:

[Spider Jerusalem]

11. Other: Tom Waits

"Closing Time", "Small Change", and "Blue Valentine" are some of my favourite '70's albums.

[leftofthedial]

14. truth be told, he and Dr. John and Randy Newman and Leon Russell

are hard to top as my personal favorites

Tom Waits continues to be a vital and creative writer too.

[Spider Jerusalem]

32. Yeah...

and he's someone who doesn't really get the sort of recognition he deserves, either. Covers of his songs (by the Eagles, Ramones, Rod Stewart, etc) have tended to be more popular than the originals...

[leftofthedial]

33. what do you think of his newer stuff

Mule Variations, etc. ?

[Spider Jerusalem]

36. I loved Mule Variations...

and Bone Machine. I thought the Black Rider wasn't bad, either (but then the fact that it was a collaboration with William S Burroughs is a plus in my book)...and Real Gone is excellent stuff (especially the song that's a letter home from a soldier in Iraq/Afghanistan).

[leftofthedial]

40. what always amazes me

is that despite his beautiful wreck of a voice, he is a great singer

and he writes exquisite melodies

[Spider Jerusalem]

41. Yeah...

he once described his voice as "Louis Armstrong and Ethel Merman meeting in hell"...hehe.

[cemaphonic]

52. Waits was the first name I thought of too.

Overall, I like his later (Swordfishtrombones and on) stuff better, but his 70's albums still leave everyone else in this thread in the dust.

[leftofthedial]

64. I don't konw about leaving some of these guys in the dust

maybe I was too close to it then to have perspective now, but each of the above artists (except Billy Joel) was enormously influential back in the day. You're right though. so was Tom Waits. Can't argue with that.

[Dolomite]

13. Other: Simmons/Stanley

[leftofthedial]

16. they were pretty interesting too

but I'm looking for solo artists rather than writers in bands.

[Squeech]

17. Richard Thompson

Founding member of Fairport Convention, went solo in 1971, has made a couple dozen records under his own name (plus then-wife Linda, when they were together), brilliant albeit extremely mordant writer.

Nick Drake, also painfully depressing, killed himself after three gorgeous albums.

Peter Blegvad, who's had a really peculiar career as occasional member of: Faust, Henry Cow, Golden Palominos, and The Lodge (and technically maybe he should be considered an '80s writer, since I'm not sure he made his first solo LP before 1980, but whatever...) and his songs are just as quirky.

Robert Wyatt, formerly drummer for Soft Machine, fell out of a window and broke his spinal column and has been unable to play the feet part of a drum kit since, now a keyboardist and songwriter, writes great political stuff without sloganeering. (He sang the hit single "Shipbuilding," written by Elvis Costello, who maybe also ought to be mentioned here.)

On edit: of the songwriters you mentioned, Jackson Browne is the only one I don't think is a hack. I'm picky that way.

[leftofthedial]

22. Richard Thompson is amazing.

truly great guitarist and a wonderful songwriter.

thanks for the other info.

Jackson Browne has been amazingly courageous as an artist IMHO.

I'm not sure I can agree with the "hack" label though.

[Squeech]

39. Hmmm...

Maybe Springsteen isn't a hack. The others, though...

Taylor was a fearless confessional songwriter with a unique point of view-- for two albums. He's been trafficking on that reputation ever since. "Damn, that traffic jam!" Now really...

Billy Joel and Elton John *define* hack, as in, unabashedly commercial songwriter. Elton is *proud* of the fact that he gives up on a song if it won't come in 15 minutes. I wonder how many reams of Bernie Taupin's verses ended up in his circular file.

Like I said, I'm picky that way. And I'm used to being contrarian about music. Very few listeners share my tastes.

And on that note, I'll tell you which records to check out of the people I *do* like:

Richard Thompson: I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight (with Linda), Mirror Blue (without)

Peter Blegvad: King Strut and Other Stories

Robert Wyatt: Old Rottenhat (repackaged with other stuff as Mid-'80s)

Nick Drake: they're all good, since he only survived to make three LPs

[leftofthedial]

51. James Taylor has done some great work more recently too

Some of that middle stuff was clearly oriented toward his love for pop, motown and country, Or was simply him going through a long uninspired stretch. That, plus it's hard to stay intensely introverted when you're a young, wealthy drug addict with your picture on the cover of People magazine all the time and the entertainment industry making you into a caricature of yourself while you're still just a kid. Once you get packaged, fame is a prison. Generally, I agree that he lost intensity after "One Man Dog." Personally, I really like some of his pop and Sam Cooke-influenced stuff though. "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" is an undeniably great song. "Smiling Face" is terrific pop. Newer stuff, like New Moon Shine, Hourglass and October Road are excellent records.

Elton wrote so many timeless melodies on his first several records that I can't label his 70's work as "hackneyed." Not to be too harsh, but about 80% of Taupin's work belongs in the circular file. He's a mercurial talent--sometime genius, often really awful. IMHO, without Elton's melodies, his lyrics would never have found voice.

Billy Joel, on the other hand, came out of the womb as a hack as far as I can tell. I'm not a fan.

Thanks for the recs! I have all of Richard Thompson's stuff going back to old vinyl. Not to date myself, but I bought all of Nick Drake's records on vinyl when they were new--since also bought CDs. You and I seem to like much of the same stuff, so I will check out Blegvad and Wyatt.

[Squeech]

58. Thank you

for a more fair-minded answer than I probably deserve :-)

I confess I never liked Taylor, once I got over a brief adolescent fetish for Sweet Baby James (hey, the Apple label, the Beatles must like him!). I think there's one Billy Joel song I like, "Angry Young Man." (My brother, who plays piano, dotes on "Piano Man," which makes me want to throttle him.)

Elton John I liked for a while, but he peaked early IMHO, with Madman Across the Water. (Which is gorgeous, especially for the Paul Buckmaster arrangements, but there are substantial songs in there too-- I like "Levon" and "Rotten Peaches.") And I admit to a grudging fondness for "Philadelphia Freedom," just because it merges the ideals of the American Revolution with Philly soul-- nice trick.

Now that I'm old and grumpy, I don't like anybody :grr: The last records (CDs now) I got by Blegvad and Thompson were both disappointments.

Wyatt and (obliquely) Blegvad are associated with the British scene referred to as Canterbury, because that's where the Soft Machine got together. What defines that scene is witty lyrics, often with a disarming self-deprecation, and musical complexity akin to bebop, but played on rock band instrumentation. There are a bunch of songwriters from that scene I like, but mostly they're known as members of bands rather than solo performers. There's a guy named Richard Sinclair who's terrific!

[leftofthedial]

61. thanks!

[Initech]

18. Frank Zappa didnt make the list?

[leftofthedial]

21. now he did.

I'm a Zappa fan. He was an amazing guy.

[Beaverhausen]

20. I voted for Jackson but want to give a shoutout to Bruce Cockburn

see my sig:

[leftofthedial]

28. Cockburn is excellent too!

sweet!

[lukasahero]

35. Bruce is such a poet

I think he writes the best lyrics - they stand on their own, the music just enchants them.

[leftofthedial]

38. that's an interesting observation in that he writes music and lyrics

more seperately than most songwriters, often writing the whole lyric independently of the music and prior to writing music to go with it.

Most songwriters kind of intermingle the two more.

[lukasahero]

43. I didn't know he did that

but I have always thought his lyrics were far more poetic than any other songwriter. Thank for the info.

[maveric]

23. What about Neil Young?

One of the most prolific songwriters ever!

[leftofthedial]

27. Neil is in a league by himself I think

I debated whether to include him. He certainly was an influence on me in the 70's, but I opted to put him and Dylan in the 60's, because that's when they made their first impact. Plus, much of Neil's work was witha band, CSNY. I also thought he'd get "extra" votes here for his new record . . .

Now that you brought him up though, it is hard to top Harvest as an influential 70's singer-songwriter record, so he does belong on the list.

[begin_within]

45. Neil Young, Cat Stevens, Carole King, Joni Mitchell - greatest of the S/SW

[leftofthedial]

82. I'm not being a misogynist

I am interested in writers I can cover

My personal opinion is that Carole King is the greatest pure songwriter that has been mentioned in this thread

and Joni Mitchell is every bit as excellent a singer-songwriter as anyone and probably more influential than anyone else

[begin_within]

88. Yes I forgot it was "male s/sw," in that case, just Young and Stevens IMO

[speedoo]

24. Bruse got my vote, but Leonard Cohen deserves recognition here.

"Suzanne" and "Hallelujah" are two of my all time favorite songs. Sometimes the latter makes me cry.

[leftofthedial]

26. Leonard Cohen is a master

He never achieved the level of popularity as some of the others. Shame, because he is great. You have excellent taste!

[speedoo]

29. He is without doubt the most underrated singer-songwriter.

By the public, anyway. Fortunately, his peers know how great he is. I have a copy of "I'm Your Man", a CD of covers of his songs by a wonderful variety of performers, and it is dedicated to LC.

And thanks for the compliment!!

[leftofthedial]

30. I don't know why he never became more popular

maybe a bit too dark (songs, not complexion), maybe a little too poetic lyrically

I never find him inaccessible though and when I listen to his records, I find myself repeatedly thinking, "now THAT is a great song! Why wasn't that a hit?"

:shrug:

[lukasahero]

34. "Ten New Songs" is in my car cd player right now

LC is an all time fave. You have excellent taste. :)

[swag]

60. Leonard Cohen is my favorite in this category.

[leftofthedial]

31. Okay. who voted for Billy Joel?

Fess up!


seriously, how can elton john get 1 vote and billy joel two? that's just absurd.

[Arkansas Granny]

59. I voted for Billy Joel! This poll gave him some stiff competition,

but I've always considered him one of the greatest.

BTW, one of the best concerts I ever saw was Billy Joel and Elton John together on stage. They put on a wonderful show.

[leftofthedial]

66. thanks for fessin up! :-)

Sounds like a great show! I remember when they did that. I don't know why, but I never really got into Billy Joel too much. 52nd Street was a pretty remarkable record though!

[woo me with science]

65. I'm not sure if he's the best, but

I have probably the best memories of times with friends listening to his music. His music was everywhere, and I do like most of it.

[Arkansas Granny]

106. I think that's one of the greatest things about music. It has formed

such a backdrop to our lives that we tend to associate certain songs with events in our lives. You just have to hear a few notes of one of your favorite songs and it can just zap you back to another place and time entirely. I have bought CD's of favorite albums that I owned a lifetime ago on vinyl or 8-track and just get lost in the memories that they evoke.

[no name no slogan]

37. Other: Nick Drake

amazing songs, beautiful arrangements, and a very sweet yet powerful voice. Unfortunately, he had bad stage fright, and died from an accidental prescription drug overdose after his third album.

[leftofthedial]

42. he was great, as is his friend and sort-of mentor

John Martyn

tragedy. it was wonderful to see Nick Drake rediscovered and reappreciated after so long.

[mrbassman03]

100. I second that!

Amazing music, Pink Moon is my wakeup album for every morning.

[begin_within]

44. I can't believe nobody has mentioned Cat Stevens.

Along with Neil Young, Carole King and Joni Mitchell, he's the best of the singer/songwriter genre

[leftofthedial]

47. or Van Morrison

[leftofthedial]

95. Or Bob Marley

[XNASA]

46. Bryan Ferry

[leftofthedial]

49. great writer . . .

great catch

[kwassa]

48. Elvis Costello, David Byrne

[leftofthedial]

50. I've never been a fan of Elvis Costello--must be a character flaw

I think of David Byrne as more of an 80's guy (even though they broke in the 70's), plus he was definitely a band writer in those days. I love Talking Heads.

[kwassa]

110. It is a very deep character flaw.

You might need professional help.

Costello's greatest problem is too much talent. He would put too many ideas into a song. His bad songs are better than most people's good songs, however.

"Talking Heads '77" was the first big hit album for them, and their career carried them as a band only until about '83. I went to art school with most of them.

[Burma Jones]

54. Van Morrison, Cat Stevens and others mentioned elsewhere

Billy Joel????:puke:

[leftofthedial]

68. he just always rubbed me the wrong way

I second the :puke:

[WritingIsMyReligion]

56. Can't vote--I like 'em all.

Yes, even BILLY JOEL.

;)

[leftofthedial]

83. well, I'd trade my house for a couple of his royalty checks

that's for sure

[WritingIsMyReligion]

91. No shit.

:D

[johnnie]

57. Jim Croce wrote some ok tunes

Not my favorite, but he was pretty good at what he did. David Bowie did some pretty decent things too in the 70s. Most of the other ones I would mention have already been mentioned. I don't really know who would be considered my favorite though.

On edit: Sorry, I didn't really read the OP well enough. I know Bowie started in the 60s, but I think he really hit in the 70s. I would choose him over all the ones you have listed though.

[leftofthedial]

63. Croce was great on that folk-rock-pop crossover thing

tragic, way premature loss! :-(

Bowie was a big 70's guy and very talented. I don't know if I'd think of him as a "singer-songwriter," the genre so associated with the folk-rock movement. Enormously talented and influential artist though!

[njdemocrat106]

62. I love 'em all (ESPECIALLY JOEL ;), but I'll make a shout-out for Nilsson

Harry can be considered both late 60s/early 70s, but I find his stuff to be pretty underrated. "Nilsson Schmilsson" is a 70s gem that often doesn't make the usual lists of best 70s albums. And let's face it, "(Lime in the) Coconut" is pure mindless, yet wholesome fun.

[leftofthedial]

69. Nilsson was amazing.

He was a true songwriting genius and Nilsson Schmilsson was a landmark.

Weird thing to me is that two of his biggest hits were covers: "Everybody's Talkin'" by Fred Neil and "Without You" by Badfinger (Peter Ham and Tom Evans).

He also recorded an entire album of Randy Newman covers!

[johnnie]

72. I was going to say Pete Ham

But he would have been more of a band member, but he was a friggin great songwriter.

[Guy Fawkes]

67. David Bowie

[DBoon]

79. I would have voted for Bowie too

He is timeless. His work from the 70's holds up well.

[JVS]

70. Tony Clifton!

Followed by Tony Orlando

[leftofthedial]

74. when did it first dawn on you

that you could say "tony orlando"?

[graywarrior]

73. I go with the Leonard Cohen voters.

[leftofthedial]

75. well, there you go!

:-)

[graywarrior]

77. I've been listening to him a lot lately, and I'm astounded at

the beauty of his writing.

[leftofthedial]

78. and the depth of his lyrics

I think he paid a commercial price for not "dumbing up" his lyrics occasionally

[graywarrior]

86. Famous Blue Raincoat floors me.

[u4ic]

102. I have to agree

Lenny all the way...

[Bombtrack]

84. If people started a religion to worship James Taylor I'd be cool with it

and I'm a Sam Harris-ite, anti-religious intolerant.

[leftofthedial]

89. I thought they did . . .

[Owl]

85. David Cassidy

[leftofthedial]

87. nice.

[rug]

90. Cat Stevens

[MrScorpio]

93. BARRY WHITE!!!

There is NO OTHER!

[leftofthedial]

94. The voice

the man

the songs

the legend!

[HuskerDU]

96. I voted for other because Steve Goodman was the best IMO.

Goodman wrote what many feel is the best train song of all time, 'City of New Orleans.' (Arlo Guthrie made the song famous) He also wrote what many feel is the best country and western song of all time, 'You Never Even Call Me By My Name' (aka Every Country Song) (Made famous by David Allen Coe)

And Goodman wrote the song that touches my heart like no other. It is called 'A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request.' My dad made me a Cub fan, and then died when I was 10, right about the same time Goodman recorded that song. Anyway it brings tears to my eyes and in a good way!

Also, Goodman did a version of 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' (bluegrass style) with mandolinist Jethro Burns that is my soundtrack to summer. I cannot sit down to watch a baseball game without cranking out that joy filled song. Oh yeah, and he wrote the Chicago Cubs anthem 'Go Cubs Go' not long before he passed away. He died just 3 days before the Cubs first playoff game in almost 40 years, Sept 1984. Some of his ashes were placed under home plate at his beloved Wrigley Field.

I heard that his live shows were a must see. Wish I had had the chance to see him!

Hey, why hasn't anybody mentioned John Prine yet?

[Gato Moteado]

123. Go Cubs Go....Hey Chicago, whaddaya say....the cubs are gonna....

...win today!

WGN used that song for a while as a lead in to the games.

but it was too upbeat. "a dying cub fan's last request" was a masterpiece.

do they still play the blues in chicago
when baseball season rolls around
when the snow melts away, do the cubbies still play
in their ivy covered burial ground

when i was a boy they were my pride and joy
but now they only bring fatigue
to the home of the brave, the land of the free
and the doormat of the national league

anyways, i agree with you. i hate putting music into genres, but if we must have a "singer/songwriter" genre which is usually associated with acoustic or folk music, then goodman wins hands down. not only could he write but he could sing and play his ass off. best guitar player i ever saw, if pure emotion is the standard. he knew he wasn't long for the world and he wanted to get every note in before he died, which he did at a far too young age as a victim of leukemia in 1984 (right before his beloved cubbies died in san diego).

i saw him perform a few times in chicago. he mesmerized a full house at chicago stadium as the opening act for steve martin back around 1977.

if you like goodman, also check out michael smith (not michael w. smith the fundy singer). smith is also a legend in chicago, having written "the dutchman" which goodman recorded. smith has a unique voice, and like goodman his guitar playing has a swing or jazz feeling to it. he's written a ton of killer songs.

you mentioned prine. his name always pops up when discussing "singer/songwriters". his lyrics were great, but musically he doesn't have it. don't get me wrong, i have been a prine fan for 30 years but he wasn't the versatile musician that goodman or some of the other guys coming out of the chicago scene in the 70s were.

[oregonjen]

97. John Denver

His music was honest and from the heart. Some might feel it was too sugary, but it still speaks volumes to me. He wrote all the way up until he died and it was quite powerful. Singing truth to power and trying to speak up for those creatures on this earth who didn't have a voice. He died too early.

[HuskerDU]

98. Damn right!

How could we forget John Denver? He had a TON of great songs!

[Dying Eagle]

99. Barry Gibb of the Bee Gee's

Tons of #1 hits not only for the Bee Gee's, but for other artists as well.

[blitzen]

101. Tom T. Hall here's a sample

Trip to Hyden

Tossed and turned the night before in some old motel
Subconsciously recallin’ some old sinful thing I’d done
My buddy drove the car and those big coal trucks shook us up
As we drove on into Hyden in the early morning sun

Past the hound dogs and some diamond-neckered chickens
Temporary-lookin’ houses with their lean and bashful kids
Every hundred yards a sign proclaimed that Christ was coming soon
And I thought, well, man, he’d sure be disappointed if he did.

On the way we talked about the 40 miners
Of the 39 who died and one who lived to tell the tale
We stopped for beans and cornbread at the Ed & Lois cafe
Then went to see the sherrif at the Leslie County jail

They took us to the scene of that disaster
I was so surprised to not find any sign of death at all
Just another country hillside with some mudholes and some junk
The mines were deadly silent like a rathole in the wall

It was just like being right inside of a shotgun.
The old man coughed and lit a cigarette that he had rolled
Back in town I bought a heavy jacket from a store
It was sunny down in Hyden but somehow the town was cold

The old man introduced the undertaker
Who seemed refreshed despite the kind of work I knew he did
We talked about the pretty lady from the grand ole opry
An’ we talked about the money she was raisin’ for the kids

Well, I guess the old man thought we were reporters
He kept reminding me of how his simple name was spelled
Some lady said, they worth more money now than when they’s a-livin’.
And I’ll leave it there ’cause I suppose she told it pretty well

[leftofthedial]

108. I love Tom T Hall

That's How I Got to Memphis

If you love somebody enough
You'll follow wherever they go
That's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis

If you love somebody enough
Then you'll go where your heart needs to go
That's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis
I know if you'd seen her you'd tell me 'cause you are my friend
I've got to find her and find out the trouble she's in

If you tell me that she's not here
I'll follow the trail of her tears
That's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis

She would get mad and she used to say
That she'd come back to Memphis someday
That's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis

I haven't eaten a bite
Or slept for three days and nights
That's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis

I've got to find her and tell her that I love her so
I'll never rest 'til I find out why she had to go

Thank you for your precious time
Forgive me if I start to cryin'
That's how I got to Memphis

[blitzen]

120. great song...i just learned to play it on the guitar a couple weeks ago

[Hissyspit]

103. Todd Rundgren

[leftofthedial]

109. there's another

very talented guy. played everything on some of his records.

although it was the 80's, I also loved his A Capela album, on wich he sang all the parts, using synths so he could "sing" the instruments.

Also visionary when it came to Internet media.

[argyl]

104. Warren Zevon deserves a mention.

[leftofthedial]

107. you aren't kidding

hats off to Warren

[Lilith Velkor]

105. Alice Cooper

[PRETZEL]

111. I voted JT but it is very close call,

I just have too many favorites. All four of CSN&Y are extremely gifted songwriters in their own regard and together are just unbelieveable. Another of my favorites who I happen to call the "poor man's JT" is Dan Fogelberg. Although probably not as gifted as lyric writer his grasp of melody is as far as I'm concerned better the JT's.

And why no mention of Simon and Garfungel?

[ScreamingMeemie]

112. No John Denver? Simply the best.

:hi:

[oregonjen]

115. See my post #97

You're right. Simply the best. :hi:

[lizziegrace]

114. I have three

John Denver, James Taylor and Dan Fogelberg

[saltpoint]

116. Often overlooked, but very talented -- Gordon Lightfoot.

Some of his best compositions were in the 1970s.

Of Lightfoot, Dylan said, "When you hear one of his songs, you want it to last forever."

Some of Stevie Wonder's best work was in the 1970s also.

[lizziegrace]

117. Agreed! n/t

[riona]

118. Paul Simon

[ballabosh]

119. Other

Van Morrison

[Gato Moteado]

121. those are all good options, but Steve Goodman was the best....

...anyone who ever saw him perform knows that.

[Gato Moteado]

122. and as for a rocker, John Hiatt could very well be the rockingest....

...writer/perofrmer!