Quote:
Originally Posted by Quincy Lehr
...I am a poet because of small-ensemble guitar music. Not so much direct influence, though it is a frequent source of allusion, but more actually turning me on to things...
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Thanks for that formulation, Quincy. I identify a lot with it. Though I will say also that I have also been
directly influenced by Dylan, John Prine, Paul Simon, and others. And I will add that many of my favorite current creative writers of words (call them poets, songwriters, whatever) are from "the small-ensemble guitar music" category -- Jason Isbell and Gillian Welch jump straight to mind.
Another indirect influence for me has the result of direct influence of songwriters in general. As a kid, hearing words by Dylan, Simon, Taupin, Townshend, the Beatles (Harrison for me as much as L-Mc), and indeed
reading them on lyric sheets, had a huge impact on my understanding of the power, pleasure, and impact craftily written words. That has stuck with me my whole life and extended to many, many other songwriters from all genres as I have become aware of them throughout my life.
I appreciate that the Nobel Committee specifically connected Dylan to a tradition of American songwriting. It is, whatever else it
also is, a literary tradition, and Dylan is an absolutely important figure in it.
David R.