What musicians have influenced you? Who has changed your life?

This list could be infinitely long.

First, I would have to say the group "Led Zeppelin." I was content in the 80's listening to Van Halen, Huey Lewis, Foreigner, and what ever else on the radio until a friend turned me onto Led Zeppelin. They easily turned into my favorite band. I was really into them listening to all their albums, collecting rare recordings, reading all about them, seeing the surviving members in concert when they would tour. Good times, good times. However, the reason they are the most influential is because they were my guide on my ever going musical journey. They took me back to the Yardbirds, Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton. They introduced me to the blues, a music I probably enjoy more than rock now. I might not have known about John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Robert Johnson. Through there softer sides they introduced the music of Joni Mitchell and Little Feat. Robert Plant is still doing it recently introducing me to Moby Grape and Love. Of course, the just planted seeds, the roots and branches have traveled to other artists and genres for me, and I'm sure they have a list of musicians I have never heard of who are probably out of this world. Sometimes they meet, which I was pleasantly surprise when Robert Plant recorded "Raising Sand: with Alison Krauss.

The next influential artist in my life would be Jimmy Buffett. No, Led Zeppelin did not influence me here. It's about relaxing, friends, and a trip to the beach. He's a writer too! He likes to fish! We both have "carnivorous habits"! I'd like to fly planes too, but those habits a little out of my price range.

Tab Benoit is trying to be influential and people should listen. He has recorded a couple of projects trying to save the wetlands, and swamps of Louisiana. If more people would have listened to what these projects were trying to say, the damage from Katrina could have been less. His "SOS: Save Our Swamps" project and "Voices of Wetlands" are a couple of examples. He's happy playing the clubs and festivals but make no mistake he is a masterful guitarist.