My Musical Influences
I have been writing songs and poetry for over 55 years. I found my voice and learned to play guitar while attending Arnold Western Ranch, a small summer camp situated in the beautiful Colorado Rockies, between 1963 and 1967. In the evenings when us campers were tired from trail rides, hiking and other ranch activities, we'd gather around the fireplace in the main lodge and sing traditional and new folk songs. My songwriting style and content were greatly influenced by these songwriters and songs:
- The Fox
- Bring Me a Rose
- The Water is Wide
- Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotton
- God Bless the Grass by Malvina Reynolds
- I Can't Help But Wonder and What Did You Learn in School Today? by Tom Paxton
- This Land Is Your Land by Woodie Guthrie
- If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus by Charles Neblett and recorded by Pete Seeger on his album For Kids and Just Plain Folks in 1963
- Blowing in the Wind by Bob Dylan
- Changes and Draft Dodgers Rag by Phil Oches
- The Circle Game by Joni Mitchell
