I know how my right-wing military-minded friends would respond, and I think that they have a valid point:

If not for the US, all of Europe ~ including the "British Isles" ~ might well be goosestepping and speaking German today.

I like GUEST,heric's answer better, though, listing all those blues artists. I might add a subsequent generation of R&B/RnR names without whose influence there would have been no Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Who, etc.