I used to think that I needed to study every performer in a given style if I wanted to do it, too. That line of thinking was partly beneficial, because it kept me listening and learning as a younger man and led to my having a pretty fair baseline knowledge of the styles I've played. Now, however, I feel like I have entered another phase of my creative life that is less about study and more about inspiration and reaction. With over 40 years into music writing, performing, and recording, I feel pretty confident in my skills. The big thing is finding ideas at which to aim them. Now, I act on current inspirations without always making a crusade about knowing every little bit of info about a style. I just take what I hear and like and mix it together with what I already have. Often, my tendency is to overthink things, but I was fortunate to work with a few artists who are so in-the-moment with their stuff that they could effortlessly mix and match influences and styles without seeming stiff or not authentically themselves. These folks taught me that what matters is the art we are making now, today, live on stage and that what each of us contributes when we play is equally valid as any lick gleaned from the Old Masters. You're not there to be a museum exhibit and you cannot fail at expressing yourself. React to the music you hear and play today's song. Tomorrow, we'll write another one.