79. A long-overdue musical discovery.

I have my friend and former bandmate/songwriting partner Thom to thank for an important--and yes, long-overdue--musical discovery I made circa 2005.

Thom, a Brit who had just emigrated to the States with his new (Yankee) bride, gave me a proper introduction to the music of the Beatles.

See, I used to be a Beatles hater. For no reason other than the fact that they were just too damned popular. I would throw around the term "overrated" and refuse to give them a fair hearing.

But Thom gave me a few of their albums and asked me to give 'em a shot. Among those albums: Revolver, Rubber Soul, The White Album, and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

I quickly became a convert. And am ever so glad that I've come to see the light. The Liverpoolians' music has since become a regular fixture in my life's perpetual playlist. I'd even go so far as to say that much of my songwriting since 2005 has taken something of a McCartney-esque turn, from a more moody and melancholy sound (influenced primarily by R.E.M. and Springsteen) to something more bouncy and ebullient, if not just a little too schmaltzy and campy.

And since then, Sgt. Pepper's and Rubber Soul have catapulted their way into my top ten favorite records of all time.

So thank you, Thom, for showing me what a stubborn fool I had been and introducing me to a quartet of songwriters / musicians that, quite frankly, I had no business ignoring for so long.