I didn't even respect singers until I heard Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong.
I respected Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. Those were my heroes, and they were 10 years older than I was.
Elton John and Billy Joel, I find them both to be huge inspirations, those guys are so talented.
Singers like her, Patti, Tina Turner, I revere them when I'm in their presence.
I have written for, very fortunately, some great singers from Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley.
I was just obsessed with soul singers who had these big powerful voices. I used to listen to Aretha, Whitney, Mariah and try and imitate them, note for note and riff for riff.
Musically, I'm always inspired by the legends like Barbra Streisand.
Willie Nelson, Marty Robbins, Merle Haggard and Keith Whitley - guys like that were huge influences.
I loved Judy Garland growing up, and I also loved Ella Fitzgerald.
Some of my other heroes around that time were, oddly enough, Frank Sinatra, Nat Cole and people like that - I was always more inclined to listen to ballads.
