In 2020, I was asked by music lover, fan, and now friend, Alan Walters, about my influences as a singer-songwriter. Here’s my answer.

Musings on my inspirations & influences as a singer-songwriter.

I was a singer long before I was a songwriter. All the voices I love, who have influenced me – from Elvis to Maria Callas – all have emotion at their core. The ability to move an audience just with their voice and an instrument. My main vocal influence, though, has been my Mum. As a trained singer of classical music, especially oratorios, she taught me everything I know about putting emotion into my voice. I’ll never be able to thank her enough for that.

As a songwriter, I was heavily drawn to American, male singer-songwriters. Billy Joel is my ultimate hero – his expressive voice and diverse catalogue of songs is an extraordinary body of work. Dylan and Springsteen are close behind. I’ve always loved the big sound, the drama – hence my love of Queen and Freddie Mercury. It’s strange, as even though many say my music reminds them of Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez, I didn’t listen to them at all when I was writing and performing. I only came to their music in the last few years. Listening to them has helped me want to share my own songs after I’d put them away for so many years – when I was no longer able to play and perform.

As a combination, the singer-songwriter embodies a truth like no other. You can see into a persons’ soul – if they let you. I wrote songs for myself. To cope with my own life, to heal, and to give voice to feelings I was experiencing. It was a safe space. I also wrote songs to share the stories of others and issues within our world – but always with something of my own feelings and emotions at the core. Sharing songs can sometimes feel hard. They are pieces of my soul. Critical words can be crushing. But what makes it possible is the people who my music connects with. Those who can really see me and maybe see something of themselves in my words. I treasure those people and thank them so much for their love and support.

If you’d like to check out more detail on my influences you can visit these Spotify Playlists:

  My Top 20 Influences as a Singer-Songwriter

  My Top 20 Vocal Influences 

And if you’re on Spotify you can always listen and Follow the playlist of my songs:

 Acoustic Ruth Nina Welsh – Singer-Songwriter

Unfortunately Mum isn’t on Spotify! Two of the songs on this list are ones she would sing to me many years ago. Tears would run down my face as I accompanied her on the piano – her voice was so beautiful, moving and expressive. The first song is The Lost Chord by Stuart Burrows. The second is by Kathleen Ferrier – What is life to me without thee. I hope you enjoy these emotional songs.