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It's so strange, when I think of great bands I think of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, or Led Zeppelin. They are all British bands. When I think of great rock performers, it's Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, Bob Dylan, and of course Jimi Hendryx. It might be that the spirit of individualism is stronger in the U.S.
As far as great American bands I'd have to go with the Grateful Dead, Beach Boys, Allman Bros., and Lynard Skynard.
I don't think we can pick just one band as *the* best American rock band. There are far too many, and too many different opinions on the matter.
In terms of influence, The Velvet Underground is certainly a top choice. Before they came out, were there songs about sex and druqs? No. They were the godfathers of punk rock, and yet they were a folk-rock band for a short time. They were avant garde, they were brash, they were LOUD. And let us not forget the Andy Warhol connection.
In terms of musical diversity, The Grateful Dead, hands down. They mixed different styles together to form their own view of the American sound. Originating as jugband-on-acid, turning to folk, then cowboys, and back to psychedelic. They mix rock'n'roll with the blues, with acoustic instruments, world percussion, even (to a small extent) reggae. They could do it all.
Finally, in terms of beating-the-odds and overcoming obstacles, you can't not say The Allman Brothers Band. Just as they were rising to stardom, tragedy strikes and Duane Allman dies all too soon in a motorcycle accident. One year later, founding member Berry Oakley dies in a motorcycle accident only one block away from the spot where Duane died. Yet the band played on under the leadership of Dickey Betts, who wrote their classic songs "Jessica" and "Rambling Man." The band spiraled into nothingness, only to return as one of the best bands touring today, with Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks (nephew of founder Butch Trucks) on guitar, and new bassist Oteil Burbridge and new percussionist Mark Quinones. Nearly forty years after they began, The Allmans are still touring.
