Musical Influences

Recently I was asked to give my thoughts on a musical artist(s) or band who inspired me or really made me care about music. My musical influences began long before I ever understood what was really happening. There is an artist who has had some effect on me musically but it was my Dad - a classically trained pianist - who shared his love of classical music with us (my brothers and me); not by forcing lessons on us, but by sharing that music in the form of concerts at the theatre, what we heard at home, and his own playing.

I was nearly a teen when while listening to music with my cousin a song called "Mandy" came on and I had my eyes opened to another world of music. A style of music not played in our house. Shortly there after we all received our own clock radios and I began to discover this stuff called pop music 70s style and I've never looked back.

As my musical collection will reflect over the years my musical tastes have become quite varied but Barry Manilow and my Dad were and continue to be the musical influences that guide my feelings when it comes to what I perceive to be good music. And unlike my brothers I still occasionally listen to classical music - or what is better known in our family as that long haired music. I even studied the stuff for a time and enjoyed it.

Why music? Music is the greatest drug in the world and best of all it's legal!