Now and Then
Talent:
Singer/songwriter and guitarist.
Background:
In and around the biz for the last 30 years.
Influenced and inspired heavily early on by The Allman Brothers, Skynyrd, ZZ Top, The Eagles, and most Southern Country rock bands, both instrumentally and vocally. More recently Little Texas, Vince Gill, Keith Urban, Montgomery Gentry, and Rascal Flatts are making an impact.
Personal thoughts:
A killer vocal and harmonies (without Pro Tools or Auto Tune) especially live...always gets me.
I think lyrics should make sense when they roll off the tongue. By that I mean that the words should sound just as natural for the person singing them, as regular conversation would. Lyrics should fit like comfortable clothes. At least that's what I try to do.
My philosophy:
It's basically the 'blues' approach. Keep it simple, no need to overload the listener with too many notes, and leave plenty of spaces so the essence of the music can remain powerful at all times.