Metal Valkyrie
I'd usually give credit to Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest. Basically Great Britain and anywhere else but the US had given a lot to the genre. However, if you want to get into how the bands I listed were influenced then I'll say stuff like way early Rock and Roll along with blues.
Definitly agree with that. especially with such bands like ZZ Top. Also the Scorpions and even Great White.
