Kim C, I totally agree about "The Gambler."

BTW, in country music there have been some really good songs written by Rodney Crowell, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Harlan Howard, Bob McDill, Merle Travis, John Denver, and Marijohn Wilkinson (Wilkins?).  None of them wrote only gems, of course.  Neither did Kris Kristofferson, Steve Goodman, Gordon Lightfoot, Willie Nelson etc.  But if you can write a few really memorable songs, I think you're doing well.  (I'd love to have written "Crazy," "Coat Of Many Colors," "Annie's Song," "Sixteen Tons," "Long Black Veil," "Me and Bobby McGee," "City of New Orleans," "If You Could Read My Mind," "I Walk The Line," etc.

Did anyone mention Bonnie Raitt or Gillian Welch?  And I'm very surprised that Kate Wolf has not been mentioned by anyone else, so far.

Declan, I did mention John Prine, above -- but his name is well worth repeating.  I'm told that he wrote most of his songs -- especially the better known ones -- within a pretty short period of time when he got his first regular gig, at a coffeehouse, and had to come up with enough new material to have fresh stuff every day.

Another songwriter I'm quite impressed with, at least on the basis of his song "What's The Use Of Wings," is Brian Bedford (Artisan).

Genie