The “Best Band In The Land”... Count Basie... for me. From the late 50’s thru maybe the early 70’s. He was around in the 30’s and 40’s but I didn’t discover him until the 50’s... try to find Basie’s version of “April In Paris”... ... “one more time.... one more one”.
Saw the Basie Band with Tony Bennett 3/4 times, Ray Charles n the band, The Buddy Rich Big Band. Stan Kenton Band featuring Maynard Ferguson, and who hasn’t seen The Beach Boys, still workin it. Saw about 10/15 minutes of rehearsals of Philadelphia Orchestra w Eugene Ormandy conducting... snuck into the hotel across the street from school... Broad & Vine Sts, Phila... not as good as The Basie Band.

When I was living in Mass, a friend asked me if I wanted to go to Vermont and see a band called Phish. I said no, never heard of them, have to work tomorrow. A few months later I was in Charlotte, NC and they came to town so I saw them in a little club ....about 40 / 50 people there including the workers? We got high inside, sat about 30 feet away from them. They played on little trampolines. Then a few months later I was back home in Indiana and Phish was booked at the United Center ( or where the Bulls played was called in 1990). They sure got big fast. I saw Stevie Ray Vaughn in his breakout year, in Austin at the Riverfront Festival. He was all the rage (Cold Shot/ Texas Flood) then (Couldn't Stand the Weather) nationally that year. I went on to Kansas, North Dakota and Massachussets in 1985.

Eurythmics big time ... went on tour with them in '86, representing their fan club for RCA. Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joan Baez, Janis Ian, Moody Blues, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Keb Mo, Eric Clapton, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Cochrane, Rickie Lee Jones ... nothing like a live performance.

I get to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra often. They're one of the top "bands" in the world.

Too many to name, but some of my favorites; Tab Benoit, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Coco Montoya, John Mayall, Junior Wells, Waylon and Willie, CSNY, Neil Young, Jethro Tull, Bob Dylan, Bob Schneider, Alejandro Escovedo, Sam and Dave, Little Feat, Allman Brothers, James Taylor, ELP, Yes, Moody Blues, Tedesci Trucks, Guess Who, Joe Walsh, Dan Hicks and the Hotlicks, Linda Ronstadt Page and Plant......

The Who, Joe Jackson, Joan Armatrading, English Beat (2× , Billy Joel, Elton John, Grand Funk Railroad, The Time, Prince.

Holy shit, there is no way I could possibly name them all, but ... Blue Oyster Cult (x2), Molly Hatchet (x4), The Guess Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Kansas (x5), Journey, The Steve Miller Band, Little River Band, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Frampton, Boston, Rush (x2), Styx, Seether (x2), Halestorm, Korn (x4), Volbeat, Shinedown, Rob Zombie, Lita Ford, Def Leppard (x3), Motley Crue, Starship (x3), Sheryl Crow (x2), Quiet Riot, Nazareth, April Wine, Head East, The Tubes, Montrose, Sevendust, Eddie Money, Pure Prarie League, Jonny Lang (x2), Heart ... and that's just the first 35 bands off the top of my head!!

Personally knew Tower of Power in early 70s through friends in Turning Point through Berklee School of Music.Friend of mine played congas for Ike and Tina. Met-Chilites,Herb Reed(Platters), Billy Ray Cyrus-my ex husband's band Mantis met with him backstage. Saw bands: Beach Boys, Boz Scaggs, Bruce Springsteen, Elvin Bishop, Bob Weir(Grateful Dead), Orleans,Rod Stewart, PeterFrampton, 3 DogNight, PeterNoone(Herman's Hermits), Carl Perkins, Grassroots, Chuck Berry, Turtles, America, Huey Lewis and News, Temptations, Mamas and Papas with Spanky, Phish,Alabama, Last 10 years-3 Doors Down, Nickleback, Eagles, Moody Blues, REO Speedwagon, J. Geils, others I can't remember. Remembered more: Creed, Styx, .Eddie Money, KC and Sunshine Band, Jefferson Starship,Sheryl Crow, 5th revision- LOL 6th-Paul Revere and Raiders, Kris Kristoperson, Willie Nelson, Charlie Daniels Band

Metallica!