Primarily my father, himself a composer, choir master, and reader of all things related to church and classical music. I wasn't exposed to other musics until I was 12 or so. Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, then Roy Buchanan in a very big way, Leo Kottke, then a blur of performers from Oscar Peterson to Tonio K. Over 40 years now of singing in church choirs has been a huge influence.

Beyond that it's a compulsion, I can't help myself. Good or bad, right or wrong, it's what I have to do. Thankfully, I enjoy teaching, so there's an income to be made. Thank goodness kids (adults are a given) still want to play guitar.

Sometimes the failures and obstacles make me persevere. Disc jockey dances, karioke, disco, my encroaching age and intolerance of stupid music (don't flame me on that one, just see other threads on the subject) are things to be overcome and in their own way influencial.

Peace, Mooh.