I started at the age of 9 in 1962 as a result of watching Ricky Nelson's band on the Ozzie & Harriet Show.

The Blues Project, April 1st 1967 at Paramus High School in NJ. Danny Kalb blew my 13 yr old mind! I went with my bandmates from The Sound Barrier.

I have 26 guitars. My favorite of all time is my 1961 Strat which I have now retired, and now I mostly play a "Big Tex" 1956 Relic Strat. My favorite acoustic is my Collings D2H.

After Kalb and Mike Bloomfield, it was Clapton, Beck and Hendrix. Then Jerry Garcia and Duane Allman. Also Wes Montgomery, George Benson and Pat Metheny. Terje Rypdal is also an influence. I first saw the Dead went I was 14 and they influenced me toward getting into Jazz and improvisation. They were a huge influence on me through 1974. I was influenced by players of many different instruments and genres, but Jeff Beck's current work has affected me quite a bit.

I'm currently the lead guitarist in the Roy Jay Band, which has toured nationally quite a bit, and has toured in support of Little Feat, The Radiators, and Donna The Buffalo among others.
I also play in The Electricians, a band of accomplished Jazzers and Psychedelicaticians that happen to have an appreciation for the music of the Grateful Dead.
I am no longer a member of the Roy Jay Band, as the band as I knew it has disbanded.

The people I currently play with allow me to manifest all of my musical fantasies. I could mention Phil Lesh, who did give me an opportunity a dozen years ago that was never fully realized. After that, I'd go to Scandinavia to elevate myself with the likes of Jan Garbarek, Jon Christensen, Arild Andersen, and Terje Rypdal.

Impossible to narrow it down to one, but I'd be happy with Keith Jarrett's "My Song", because it represents everything I aspire to as an improvisor. I first heard it when it was released in 1977.