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This page is where I like to make special mention of those people who have meant so much to me in my own search for a place in this life, as well as those who have inspired me to be more true to myself and to my own calling. While many of those I list here have passed on from this life to a new life (and no, I don't believe this is all there is...) there are also those still here who continue to inspire me and help guide me musically, personally, or spiritually in my own journeys. 
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Yanni and Rick Wake - Thanks to this incredible team and the phenominal Voices concert production they put together in Acapulco Mexico, I got the chance to hear one of my very favorite Yanni instrumental songs - To Take, To Hold - put to lyrics and sung in a spellbinding performance by Leslie Mills.  (That song version is now called  "Before The Night Ends").  To me, the combination of talents by this Yanni-Leslie Mills team is just breathtaking and I hope we see more of this perfect matchup in the future.  It's a very magical thing to hear and experience a song that evokes such emotion as this one did for me.  I will be listening for more of Leslie's songwriting and singing by keeping an eye on her site, at   www.lesliemills.com.  As another one of her mega-hits reminds me:  she's definitely a "Keeper".
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Ann Bailey is a very special friend and inspiration to me musically and personally, and it's been my great pleasure to chat with her about her music, vocal style, spiritual inspiration, composing and recording, and about our common Christian faith. Known affectionately in the industry as "Thunder Lungs" this awesome female vocalist is truly a "singer's singer" and is a highly sought-after harmony, lead and background vocalist - please check out her own site, at   www.thunderlungs.com and you'll be awed at her talent and her credits. We met online one day as I listened to a clip of her own composition "Ship Of The World" which knocked me over with its fabulous harmonies and deeply spiritual lyrics. Later I got a clip of her own "If You Won't Let Me" and she took the time to chat with me at length about them, even sending me full cuts of those and other songs of hers. I became a lifelong fan of this amazing "unsigned diva" and always love to keep an ear tuned in for her latest works. Thank you Ann, for your constant inspiration! ~ John
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Dan Fogelberg - I would like to say a few words about the passing of a very great influence in my life.  This quiet man of music has touched millions with his style, his grace, his depth and the passion that he captured in his many songs. Music is such a wonderful legacy, and his eternal spirit lives on forever in us. During the many years in which I struggled to find my own way in life, and my own style in the music I crafted, Dan's passionate expressions of his life, his loves, and his experiences helped lift me up and carry me on during times I would have easily given up. My very wamest wishes go out to his family and loved ones and my faith grows ever stronger as I deeply appreciate this life that he so richly gave himself to fulfilling. Thank you, Dan, for each and every word and chord you shared with me and with all of us that you touched with your music. Viewers can find a new appreciation of life in the legacy that Dan has left us, by visiting his site at:   www.danfogelberg.com/    ~ John
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Steve Irwin - If the measure of a man is the extent to which he affects the lives of others while he's on this earth, then surely Steve Irwin measured a true lion's share of this life. This crocodile hunter captured the heart of everyone, with the boundless passion and limitless enthusiasm he showed for his life and for his work. I've always felt a personal link to this special kind of person - to me, one absolutely has to have a true passion for living, or it just isn't worth being here. Steve left us an incredible legacy - his zest for living and for teaching. In the end, we are all students of this life and he will always continue to speak to our hearts in his wild-eyed, matter-of-fact style that makes us all sit up and listen. God bless you Steve and your loving family. Crikey! You're one in a million, and will always be remembered!   Fans can learn more about the Irwin family through their website:   www.crocodilehunter.com     ~ John
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Diana, Princess of Wales. She is "The People's Princess" and to me, she will always be My Princess. I will not think of her in a past-tense way, as I do not view life and death here on this plane as the "beginning and end" of our life. She was and continues to be, the wonderful magical presence that many of my songs pay tribute to. As you listen to songs such as "The Muse is Sleeping", "Rainbow Castle", "Blue Velvet Morning", "Lady Of The Dawn" and many others, it's Diana who fills them with life and with meaning in her own gentle way. She continues to inspire me, always. ~ John
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Jim Croce, is such an inspiration and influence to me musically.  His songs drew me in and his voice - with a range in which I could sing along with easily - really told wonderful stories.  Jim seems to have spent a great deal of time observing others closely and in his writing we come to know those characters quite well.  My personal favorite, "Time In A Bottle", hit the exact style that I knew I was striving for in my own music.  Please check out his official site at  http://www.jimcroce.com/  and fill your heart with the legacy of this wonderful singer/songwriter. 
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Karen Carpenter - There will always be her sweet, smooth alto voice in my heart, for she truly blessed us all with her talent.  Go to the official site -  http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/  and spend time drinking in the beautiful legacy that she has left.  I will always continue to be inspired by the elegance of Karen and Richard's incredible sound.
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