Someone mentioned the Four Lads - apparently, as teenagers they were big fans of the Golden Gate Quartet, and had the teenage moxie to present themselves to the Quartet backstage, in Toronto, and sing one of the Quartet's hits to them. The Quartet were/was so impressed that they arranged an introduction that led the Four Lads' into serious show biz. Incidentally, on a British tour, a young Paul McCartney hit them up for autographs after a show. The point, I suppose, is that influences spread all over the place, in all directions.