"I always get irritated when people get to the point of trying to recreate exactly"

That's part of it... When I do a 'cover' I NEVER try to sound JUST LIKE whoever it is I'm covering.... I mean really, what's the point of that? There's already one Bob Dylan... why oh why try to sound like him? (Or anyone else for that matter)

But this is more about creating something new, but in the style of someone else.... When does it stop being "in the style of", and just become a "warmed over copy"?

"if it sounds a lot like a John Prine song, that can hardly be bad"
I guess what I'm asking is, can it ever sound TOO MUCH like, say, a John Prine song???