If someone who hadn't hear John Prine but had heard Clinton were to say "That song this John Prine is singing sounds a lot like Clinton Hammond", would that be a problem for John Prine?

Or what if someone who was really into John Prine were to listen to Clinton's song and say "that doesn't really sound like a John Prine song?

Originality is what sneaks up on people when they are doing something the best way they can, very likely when they are trying to do it the way someone they admires does it. Setting out to be original for the sake of being original is handing the reins over to the person you're trying not to sound like.