Smokey Robinson is one of my heroes as a singer and songwriter; a major influence on my own music from the very start.
Marlon Brando was the major influence in my life, though I never met him. And my father - we didn't get along, but he was an influence in terms of honesty and work ethic. That's the greatest compliment I could pay him.
Tori Amos had a major influence on how I craft words in a song. Until I heard 'Little Earthquakes' all my lyrics used really obvious analogies like rain for tears.
Tori Amos had a major influence on how I craft words in a song.
Clare Fischer was a major influence on my harmonic concept. He and Bill Evans, and Ravel and Gil Evans, finally. You know, that's where it really came from. Almost all of the harmony that I play can be traced to one of those four people and whoever their influences were.
China and the United States have major influence in international affairs and shoulder important responsibilities in upholding world peace and promoting common development.
I went through a big Alice Cooper phase, which was probably a major influence on my writing style later, especially after Plastic Surgery Disasters.
Doolittle was a major influence on the Seattle grunge scene, which emerged in the early 1990s.
I came from a broken home, so my mom was a major influence in my life.
The fact that Stravinsky used the classics as a major influence is obvious. What is interesting is how he used them, how he turned Bach into Stravinsky.