About 18 years ago, I holed up in my parents’ basement for a week to draw each of my musical influences. It was one of the most immersive creative experiences of my life.
I’ve since discovered Josh Ritter. He’s a lyric-first acoustic crooner that changed the way I view songwriting—he’s the reason my pop-rock turned Elegant Folk for good.
Yes, along with Adam Duritz of Counting Crows, it’s safe to say that Ritter is one of my absolute biggest influences. But I haven’t been doing the art thing like I was before.
Well, until now.
I’m back on the easel. Inspired.
One could say there’s “a light where before no light had been.”
I’m drawing bits and bobs … and now an imperfect portrait of Josh Ritter. A writer who changed the definition of song for me.