ARTIST/BAND

REASON

The Everly Brothers

Those vocal harmonies are forever etched in my brain

Duane Eddy

He represented that sneering rebel rousing guitar-slinging element that my dad hated

The Ventures

Instrumental guitar music couldn't get much better for a 12 year old at the time

Chuck Berry

Because he could play and chicken-walk at the same time, not to mention the clever lyrics

The Beatles

Does this really warrant any reason or explanation?

Badfinger

They might have been The Beatles, if it wasn't for The Beatles

The Yardbirds

The originators of psychedelic rock that never got full credit for what they deserved

The Byrds

Dylan was great and who but the Byrds could have taken his music to new heights

The Turtles

Next to the Byrds, these folks came the closest to mastering folk-rock music

Jeff Beck

THE most innovative rock guitar player of all time and they all agree...even Clapton

The Buffalo Springfield

I knew from their debut LP that this was the future of music — how right I was

XTC

Andy Partridge and John Lennon — cast from the same mold — more or less

Fairport Convention

May their music live long and touch the hearts of many for years to come