Mellencamp vs. Seger vs. Springsteen

Bob Seger. I grew up Michigan used to be able see him perform on a regular basis.

An interesting group. Always liked Seger but listened to him mostly on road trips, his didn't seem like music you played inside the house.

I didn't pay too much attention to Mellencamp all along but his 2008 'Life, Death, Love and Freedom', is an amazing album, one of my favorites of the last five years.

One of my close friends is considered a great poet in her native Spain and was widely published there. She came to the U.S. at age 35 speaking almost no English but quickly mastered the language. She says that she tried for years to make sense of American poetry but couldn't, until she started listening to Springsteen at my house.

I'm a huge Springsteen fan (even though some of his recordings are messy and not considered audio magic.) I also echo Tom6897 with Croce, King, Lightfoot Taylor Donald Fagen. I like Mellencamp, but don't own any of his recordings. I'm indifferent to Seger. The name I would recommend to you as a prolific singer/songwriter and an outstanding guitarist is Bruce Cockburn (pronounced "Co-burn"). A Canadian, he gets covered often by other artists and has been recording since 1970. His biggest hit in the US was "Wondering Where the Lions Are" in 1979 (charted number 21), off the "dancing in the dragon's jaws" album. When I bring this CD with me to try out audio equipment, I'm generally asked who the artist is because the music has made a favorable impression.

Dylan...everyone else is a runner up...even Tom Petty...haha...

Justin Beiber....hands down. ;)