1. Patty Griffin has probably been my biggest inspiration of all. She has this amazingly poetic way of saying anything, and her words make you feel the emotion of the song so intensely. She also has an unbelievable voice and writes the most beautiful melodies. “Living with ghosts” is probably my favorite album of all time.

2. Carole King is an unbelievable songwriter. “Tapestry” is another one of my favorite records. I love the unique way that she illustrates her point in a song. “My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue” is such a great lyric that I think everyone in the world can relate to because it’s so true that life is full of so many ups and downs and intricate details and so much ‘color,’ so to speak.

3. Mindy Smith has a heartbreakingly gorgeous voice. Her songs are simple and yet so artistic and honest. She’s also amazing live and one of the nicest people I’ve met in this business. I opened for her when I was about 16 and had absolutely nothing cool going on and she hung out and got dinner with me for a couple hours before the show and just let me pick her brain about her experience in the industry. You don’t forget stuff like that.

4. Bonnie Raitt is just the epitome of cool to me. It’s so awesome to see her rocking that telecaster onstage. Another amazing songwriter, and the power in her voice is ridiculous.

5. I love the raw, organic nature of everything Joni Mitchell does. Her voice is so unique, and her songs are eclectically infectious. “River” is heartbreaking and has so much vulnerability. I love that she’s a visual artist too. I’m a painter, and it’s always awesome to see songwriters expressing their creativity in a lot of different ways.

Source: blog.myspace.com

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