Although Kerouac and his friend and poet Allen Ginsberg are the best-known Beat Generation writers who were exhilarated by jazz, there were plenty of others, such as Kenneth Rexroth, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Kenneth Ford, Neal Cassady, Ken Nordine, Gregory Corso and William S.
On the Road was a genuine publishing sensation. It helped forge an image of jazz-loving, goatee-bearded, beret-wearing beatniks that remains iconic even in 21st century popular culture. Although Kerouac and his friend and poet Allen Ginsberg are the best-known Beat Generation writers who were exhilarated by jazz, there were plenty of others, such as Kenneth Rexroth, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Kenneth Ford, Neal Cassady, Ken Nordine, Gregory Corso and William S. Burroughs, who were creatively fired by the music.