Greatest Musical Entertainer of the 20th Century

[CowboyCO]

His energy, his enthusiasm, his songs.. He aint too bad looking for a older guy either he said he learned from the best who in his opinion was Chris LeDoux and George Strait. I've never seen either in concert and will never have the option to do that which Chris since he passed away but I like Georges music but he just doesn't have the same umph as Garth maybe he's different live I honestly dont know.

I saw Chris several times and Garth twice. I was crushed when Chris Ledoux died. What a great soul. Many people don't know that he wrote George Straight's Hall of Fame hit, "Amarillo by Morning". I went to see him on Fremont Street in Las Vegas when Wyoming played in the Las Vegas Bowl in December, 2004. He was very ill, but he never let on and gave a great show. He died just 90 days later... He was one of the really, good guys. My wife always said it's a good thing Chris was married, 'cause she would have dropped me in a heartbeat if he was available and would have chased him down on his ranch outside Kaycee, Wyoming.

RIP Cowboy

This is the pic DW likes best --

 

[Sir Robin Hood]

Nobody has mentioned William Hung yet.

 

[maznorm]

In no particular order:-

Michael Jackson
Luciano Pavarotti
Hank Williams
Elvis Presley
Bob Marley
Frank Sinatra

I also think the Beatles deserve a mention here as well, but I am not a fan at all.

 

[TwinsinCA]

I'm going to say Prince.

I think so many of the others listed (Madonna, Michael Jackson, Elvis, and Garth Brooks) are VASTLY over rated. I will never understand the hype with any of them.

 

[HelenePA]

I thought prince didn't go by prince anymore? Didn't he come up with a name for his symbol or something? One of my favorite songs as a kid was raspberry beret but I use to sing it as something totally different I don't remember what though

 

[bicker]

It is hard to beat The Beatles, at least in terms of musical entertainers of the 20th Century, but the thread title is Greatest Entertainer (singular) so splitting "The Beatles'" notoriety by four, they don't reach the top. MJ is up there, as a solo artist, but quite frankly, his time at the top seems a bit bigger to us than it really was because it was more recent than that of other 20th Century musical entertainers, such as Elvis Presley.

This is explicitly the worst time to ask this question, because MJ's death will spike memories of him, and distort the results. However, there are several resources you can draw on that ask essentially the same question, with results you can see are uninfluenced by a major event like this. In such resources, you'll typically see at the top, in addition to Elvis, Bing Crosby, Madonna, Elton John, and the Rolling Stones.

However, I've been injecting the word "musical" into this (because everyone has been talking about musicians). Strip away the requirement that the person be a musical entertainer, and folks like Johnny Carson and Bob Hope float to the top of the list.

(Of course, we're all, also, injecting the word "Western" into this ...)

 

[kaytieeldr]

he - Garth - can entertain, so can many - what makes him stand out?

Since this thread is apparently for DISers to post who we each consider the greatest entertainer/s of the 20th century, questioning someone else's opinion seems inappropriate. Nobody is questioning ANY other name so far - why question a choice made by several posters?

I don't agree with every name offered to this point - but I see no reason to question or require/expect validation from, anybody who has (or does) provide a name I wouldn't have.

 

[beattyfamily]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Cher? I don't think she is top per say but she puts on one heck of a show.

I did, I did!!!!!!! (a few posts back) She's on my list. Not my #1 cause I think Elvis and Michael surpassed her but she's definitely on my list.

 

[Tantor]

The Beatles. They changed music, with music they created. They wrote their songs and played their own instruments. Before they did it it was unusual for acts to create their own stuff.

They influenced not only mustc, but fashion as well.

IMO, no one comes even close to them, and what they did in the XX century


ETA to add this tribute to them in a Russian town 40 years after they disbanded

 

[MarkBarbieri]

No question - Will Rogers.

Past him, I'd say that the stars that most dominated their era were Elvis and Michael Jackson. Several film stars were huge (John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Katherine Hepburn), but none ever dominated the scene to the same extent. I left off the Beatles despite them being bigger than Elvis or Michael Jackson because they were a group. None of them individually was as big.

 

[LoraJ]

I know Garth is good and entertaining, however he is just not in the same category with Michael Jackson, Elvis and Madonna. I work with a very diverse group of people. If you asked them to name a song from each performer, they all could do so with the 3 I mentioned, but I bet most would not be able to name a Garth song. I cannot even think of one off the top of my head.

 

[declansdad]

When I think of who put the whole package together, who could sing, dance, choreograph, put on great shows, etc. then that leaves Elvis, MJ, Madonna, The Beatles

Since you included singing, you would need to take Madonna off the list.

I agree with Elvis being at the top, take away the last 15 years or so and you could include MJ, and I would say Paul McCartney more so than the Beatles as a group.

 

[declansdad]

come back - with what, a newer woman than TY or his wife??? Surely, not same of the same ole country twangs I grew up with???

I love his music, but his is not in the class the other artists mentioned on this thread are.

Obviously many people disagree and he does put on an amazing show.

 

[shortbun]

Yeah, put me in the 'not Garth' group, lol!!!
I have to go with The Beatles and then MJ and Elvis. I put Elton John up there as well and the Rolling Stones. My criteria is contribution: do we hear their songs on the elevator? Do other people record their music? Have they weathered the years and changed with the tides or stayed popular through the generations? Cher, Madonna(she sings very well-have you seen Dick Tracy?), Tina, Aretha...all of them have the package too.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

I can't have one person for the whole era.

Elvis started it
Beatles opened another door as a band and as songwriters.
Michael as the modern day pop icon.


And this is really only second half of the century, what about pre Elvis?

 

[mickaholic4077]

Frank Sinatra!


I'm a big fan, so I just want to make sure he gets at least one vote!

Haven't read any other replies past this one,so you'd get at least two votes,Frank!!!!

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Haven't read any other replies past this one,so you'd get at least two votes,Frank!!!!

I forgot all about him and agree Frank should be up there.

 

[saratogadreamin09]

Nobody has mentioned William Hung yet.

he was 21st century

 

[saratogadreamin09]

I'm 14 so Im going for who has had the longest impact and is still memorable today.

MJ was still selling out records and shows. Same with Billy Joel. Elvis still isnt sellin shows out but everybody knows his name and his songs.

Celion Dion is second because most people hve heard of her and her music and her vegas show was very successful


Id say The Beatles wold probably come third on my list.

 

[ICF]

I think its a close tie between Jackson, Elvis, and Billy Joel

One of these is not like the other.....

No way Billy Joel is even close to the top 3 and wouldn't even likely make the top 5....and I like his music, but he wasn't the icon that others were.

The Beatles and Madonna would be way ahead of him and I'm sure there are others as well.