A collection of Suzi Quatro’s favourite singer-songwriters
“This was the first time I saw Elvis Presley on TV,” said Suzi Quatro when recalling the moment that she wanted to be a musician. “I was seven, and I decided at that age, seeing that show – believe it or not – that I was going to be him. So that song and that performance changed my life. It gave me my path. I still get the same feeling every time I see it, all the time.”
Quatro wasn’t alone in finding inspiration in Elvis’ performance. When he went on TV and began singing and dancing, while conservative parents around the country found themselves in uproar, kids looked in awe, amazed at how entertaining and exciting everything about his show was.
Of course, while Elvis inspired many people to become performers, he wasn’t renowned as a songwriter. The majority of the tracks that he performed were covers, which he took from other artists and made his own. As such, while he inspired Quatro, when it came to writing her own original music, she had other artists that she was a big fan of.
There is no right way to write a song. When you look at the advice given by prolific songwriters from around the world, it becomes clear that there is no consistency when it comes to penning classics. However, with her songwriting experience, Quatro believes that the key to writing is not being afraid to show your emotions and wear your heart on your sleeve.
“Pain is the best architect,” she said. “You’ve turned it into a positive […] otherwise, it just wells in you like poison […] as you’re listening to music, something will fly out at you.”
Her affinity towards pain seems to exist both when she writes and listens to music. A lot of the singer-songwriters who she cites as influences are those who are great at conveying sadness and hopelessness. This seems to be a common occurrence amongst songwriters, as they believe that when somebody can write about sadness in a way that connects with an audience, it’s the sign of a genuinely remarkable songwriter.
One of the people she references as one of her biggest inspirations is Bob Dylan. Dylan was famous not just for his work within music but also for his commitment to language as a whole. He was so proficient with words and his ability to use lyrics to be introspective while commenting on the world around him that he was offered a Nobel Prize in literature. When asked about Bob Dylan’s accolade, his counterpart Leonard Cohen said it was “like pinning a medal on Mount Everest for being the highest mountain.”
Dylan wasn’t the only singer-songwriter Quatro cited as an influence. Other artists she said she was a big fan of included Carole King, James Taylor, and Neil Diamond. All of them can be heard somewhat in Quatro’s work, as their ability to convey emotion within music is exceptional.
Suzi Quatro’s favourite singer-songwriters
- Bob Dylan
- James Taylor
- Carole King
- Donovan
- Neil Diamond
- Neil Sedaka
- The Miracles
- Willie Nelson
- Jackie DeShannon
- Kris Kristofferson
- Jackson Browne
- Dolly Parton
- Waylon Jennings
