sum of our parts

Recently, one member of Taller That They Appear (we’ll call him Member #4), asked his band-mates about their musical influences. Actually, he specifically requested the Top 5.  Below are the results of his query:

Member 1: Richard Thompson, Steve Earle, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen  

Member 2:  Child Ballads, the songs of Chilean writer Violeta Parra,  Leonard Cohen, Michael Smith, 
and lullabies.

Member 3:  Gospel hymns, musicals (loved stories that were sung), Johnny Cash, The Beatles, The Supremes. Saturday Texaco Opera and the American Songbook I'd check out every week to read 
the lyrics.

Member 4: Bruce Cockburn, Richard Thompson, CSN, Andy Williams, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, The Monkees, Joe Jackson, Brian Wilson, Squeeze, Adrian Belew, Stan Kenton, Gordon Lightfoot, Marvin Gaye*...wait, there’s more!

(*Please note that Member 4, who asked for a Top 5 list, provided over twice the requested number of influences.  That’s how this outfit rolls.) 

While there is some overlap in influences, overall, these chicks and chaps are worlds apart in what makes them tick, musically.  Yet, these seemingly strange bedfellows, as it were, are able to come together and make it work.  

My guess is that, music is music, and even those from different planets can come together to make beautiful music.

Attend a show.  Then you decide.  Does it work?  Is the whole greater than the sum of the parts?  Or is it that some of the parts, though different, make for a great whole even though the parts, on their own, are also great? I just can’t know!  

Does the name Taller Than They Appear actually equate to the whole being great than the sum of the parts?  No, they just thought it was silly.  They aren't deep thinkers  --Band Member 4