Jimmie Rodgers
His career had only lasted six years. Still, the "Singing Brakeman" had a significant influence on all country musicians who came after him. Virtually every star of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s referred to him. The mostly self-written lyrics of his songs went far beyond the usual hillbilly themes. He was one of the first country performers to incorporate personal experiences into their songs. The best-known example is the TB Blues. Stylistically, too, he broke away from his predecessors. He used blues elements and developed American yodelling into Blue Yodel.