[The Rez]

Hey Podunklander,

May I please begin by saying: I'm right in step w/ you. Much Agree.

Re "Influence" v. "Inspiration"

Yes, I definitely chose the wrong word. "Inspiration" is much more "organic" Often folks use 'em interchangeably [as I wrongly did] but - "Inspiration" is The Thing musicians borrow along the path of finding their own singlular voice.

Among those who emerge, "inspiration" takes the form of "imitation" only in those very formative times [ala Brother Ray doin' Nat Cole before he found Brother Ray] That happens w/ *every* musician. No one - not even Gord - begins as An Original, uninspired [or influenced] by the sound surrounding them. That takes time in the Cookin' Pot.

[When the "insipiration" remains "imitation" ya' got yerself a Vegas Lounge Lizard. Course, they're never outta work - like those w/ vision.]

Folk and Blues are where you'll find The Story [The Ballad] Those styles [and when they meet] have always embraced a good yarn - be it in a minor key [Miguel] or major [San Francisco Bay Blues] Real Country and Real Western take to a tale well, also [not to be confused by anything w/in the City Limits of Nashville]

A sad lyric w/in a peppy melody . . . true, Gord is a master at that irony. But, really it's a folk/blues formala w/ very ancient roots. A well know example would Jesse Fuller's aforementioned "San Francisco Bay Blues" [no, it wasn't a Grateful Dead song first]

When The Beach Boys first hit, I said . . . Hey! That's Four Freshman Stuff. Listen to those harmonys. Few believed me - or even knew who The Four Freshman were.

That's The Inspired Craftsman at work in Brian Wilson. Brian and Gord share that Gift [not talent - it's a Gift] to anylize another's work inspirational to them and turn it into something they themselves own. And here's the neat part: They get to pass it on.

Anybody find *The Alamo* And what was that Sawyer Brown song . . .

Rez

PS to Timetraveler: Other than Gord, the only person comes to mind who unfailingly gave credit was Frank Sinatra. He would begin each and every song by giving props to the writers - and to the arranger.