Pick one and only one artist or band to define rock'n'roll. Let's pretend someone has no knowledge of music at all. What would be the one artist you would play them to describe rock'n'roll.

I'd pick Jerry Lee Lewis

Edit: Typed this fast before I left for lunch, and I'm an idiot who misspelled his name.

Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry

I would start with Ike Turner's 'Rocket 88' then discuss its evolution.

Yeah, I don't see how you can go with anyone other than Berry.

Steve

Just listened to "The Great 28" yesterday so this one's easy.

Here I would have to go with the Beatles- because their output would give that person tastes of genres that Berry doesnt (not to say that Berry doesnt represent RnR but that it doesnt hint as certain genres that are part of RnR's history)

ysiplskthx...and why are you not on aim? I'm actually doing WORK and shit.

I gotta go back towards J-Rock. I hadda come to Redlands to load up some shit and decided to eat lunch here and dick around for an hour.

Ike Turner (performed by Jackie Brenton)- Rocket 88 - 1951

Chuck Berry - Maybellene - 1955 - prolly the first full combo of the rock n roll form combining country & blues

Chuck Berry is a great one. I'd probably go with that too.

Either Chuck Berry or Primal Scream, depending on which definiteion we're using.

Jumpin' Jack Flash

not a huge fan really, but the stones come to mind.

I dunno. I think a case could be made for Jerry Lee Lewis, just 'cuz the separate elements of country, hillbilly, and rhythm'n'blues are more overt than in Berry's work. Little Richard would be a decent choice as well, because he really showcased the gospel roots of the devil's moozik.

Of course, the one artist that REALLY ties all those elements up into one tidy package is Elvis. Plus he added that white androgynous sexuality that has pretty much defined the rock star for 50 years now.

I'm gonna say Little Richard as well, because he single-handedly invented rock-n-roll, after he beat the astronauts to the moon and cured polio.

Dead on. I support this message.

rolling stones

To me Jerry Lee had a little more "fuck you" quality and was a little more dangerous than Elvis. But I agree with everything you wrote.

My immediate thought was The Who's 'My Generation', something loud and rebellious.

That's why he's "The Killer" and Elvis is "The King"

but yeah, Rads, as usual, nails it. I Love You, Uncle Monger!

Jerry Lee had a little more "fuck you" quality than anybody. Dude would've made G.G. Allin shit his pants (involuntarily).

Well he almost certainly killed at least one of his wives. That certainly ups the baddass.

True.
Elvis music doesn't sound that rebellious anymore ( I know that it did), but Jerry Lee still does for me. Same thing with the Stones (still dangerous)and the Beatles (not really). I probably like more Beatles and Elvis songs than Stones and Jerry Lee, but if I'm defining rock'n'roll, I would go with Jerry Lee and the Stones over them.