I was first made aware of folksongs by Burl Ives.

Then along came (not in order) Josh White (Sr.), PETE SEEGER!!, and Richard Dyer-Bennet. And Woodie Guthrie.

I guess I'd say Ives, Seeger, and Dyer-Bennet form a sort of triangular target, toward which I shoot the arrow of my singing style. And to a degree White and Guthrie have an influence.

Forgive the tortured metaphor, please. It's the best way I can think of to describe how I come to sing the way I do.

Dave Oesterreich