Buddy Holly first of all - but no way could I afford a Strat back then. Then along came Bob Dylan and I thought "Jesus - I can sing at least as good as that, and play the harmonica a whole lot better" but, realistically, it was down to a school friend (Ron Stevenson - a great guitarist at only 14 years old back in 1961) who brought his acoustic to school in the Summer of '65 and showed me how to play Em, Am and B7 before singing St James Infirmary Blues.

That was my first effort at playing/singing - and, crap though it obviously was, opened up a lifetime passion.

Thanks to big Ron (RIP)