Not every artist is transparent with their influences. Some musicians don’t want to be compared to any of their contemporaries. Bruce Springsteen is not one of these musicians. Springsteen is more than happy to talk about who inspired him as a burgeoning talent, including the four vocalists below. These four artists are among the musicians that Springsteen can’t live without.
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“Ray Charles”
We can’t imagine anyone turning their nose up at Ray Charles’ vocals. They are impossibly smooth and nostalgic to boot. It would be like hating sunshine or chocolate: impossible and, arguably, a cause for concern. Springsteen has covered Charles’ songs on a number of occasions, nodding to his love for the soul vocalist. Though Springsteen’s music is set apart from Charles’ in intrinsic ways, there are soulful moments in The Boss’ discography that feel like an homage.
“Bob Dylan”
Springsteen has waxed poetic about Bob Dylan countless times. Like many people in his generation, Springsteen reveres The Bard for his songwriting. But he took it once step further by commenting on Dylan’s singing ability. Springsteen once wrote a piece on Dylan’s influence, making sure to denounce any hullabaloo over his oddball vocals.
“Bob pointed true north and served as a beacon to assist you in making your way through the new wilderness America had become,” Springsteen once said. “He planted a flag, wrote the songs, sang the words that were essential to the times, to the emotional and spiritual survival of so many young Americans at that moment.”
“Sam Cooke”
Sam Cooke’s voice cuts straight to the heart. One note and you’ll be welling up. Springsteen has felt that swell of emotion before, pointing to his love of Cooke on numerous occasions. Most notably, he recorded a song that made use of a Cooke classic, “Meet Me at Mary’s”. Springsteen’s “Mary’s Place” is a nod to Cooke’s influence on him–moreover, rock as a whole.
“John Lennon”
“It really was the song that inspired me to play rock and roll music–to get a small band and start doing some small gigs around town. It was life changing. It’s still a beautiful record,” Springsteen once said of The Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand”. This is just one of the times Springsteen has heralded The Beatles, with an emphasis on the talent of John Lennon. Springsteen is a massive Lennon fan. They both share similar, activist sensibilities. It’s clear a baton has been passed between the late Beatle and The Boss. With songs like “Born in the U.S.A”, Springsteen has picked up where Lennon left off.
Featured Image by Ebet Roberts/Redferns
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