Originally Posted by: JeffS65...and considering how old they were (weren't, really...)[/quote]

And the fact that none of them could read or write script notation or had any formal training whatsoever in musical theory, reliant on intuition and instinct.

I'm not a believer in any of the 'my brand sky faery faith' dogmas, but Brian Epstein's promotional involvement notwithstanding, it too a function of the same timing and coincidental (?) coalescence of those three lads + one the social harmonist, does make one consider the origin of all that is known scientific theory and philosophical logic.

Originally Posted by: JeffS65In the same mindset, Brian Williams has to be up there too.

[br]Typo? From the gist, did you mean to type Brian [u]Wilson[/u]? This is the only Brian Williams songwriter I could find off a quick search.

[quote=JeffS65]Oh, and the Eagles...

Yes, for me they really were a stand out in the '70s, and beyond, which is quite the accolade considering the also ran competition of the day.