I grew up listening to the Beatles and the Stones and all the other pop that was around at that time I enjoyed it but never really did much to the furry ears.  Then for christmas one year my brother brought me the Moody Blues In Search of the Lost Chord. 
 
Band - The Moody Blues
Musician - John Martyn.

But there are many many more that have made the furry ears twitch along the way, many have been mentioned above.

Hi,
 
One band musicians ... Vangelis and Mike Oldfield ... they usually do every thing in their albums! Most of it, anyway!

The Lovin' Spoonful, so much fun, harmony and melody in music such as:
 
"Bald headed Lena has anybody seen her?
Cute as she can be
She don't wear no wig
Her head's bald as lead
She's all right with me..."
 
And:
 
"Everybody knows that the very last line
Is the doctor said
Give him jug band music
It seems to make him feel just fine"
 
And Zally and John could really play their guitars, no Wrecking Crew needed here like every other band (even the Byrds) of those days :)

After all this thread has been through...and my earlier tangentializing of it...I realized I never really answered the question.

So I will now.

Chet Baker. Pure soul. Pure honesty. Straight from Chet's heart and lips via vocals or horn. Crippled. Tormented. Weak and addicted. Haunted. Alluring. Frightening. Uplifting. Depressing. Mesmerizing. Hideous. Beautiful.

Still and always...Chet.

Chet Baker?  Does he work for Cakewalk? 
 

Hard to pick one but I'd have to go with Van Halen. When VH1 came out it had an immediate impact on how I approached the guitar and what I wanted in a band.
 
 

rcklln
Hard to pick one but I'd have to go with Van Halen. When VH1 came out it had an immediate impact on how I approached the guitar and what I wanted in a band.
 
 

I can relate to that!!

Thanks olpal! I'm getting my Chet CDs out! It's been awhile since I've listened to them

Honestly, Stryper and Michael Sweet is my first and biggest inspiration. Not only musically but the spirit and boldness. But I have many others. Lately I’ve been inspired by J-Metal.
 
Stryper – Yahweh:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRyXDlPthH0

Alex Lifeson.
 
 
 
 
Tom Sholz.