While Hoss and I were in Nashville, we had the opportunity to see Keith Urban discuss the making of his album "Ripcord". It was amazing to see him discuss how the stories on the album came about.
Keith talked about growing up with his father listening to Don Williams every morning. The minimalist and rhythmic style of Williams' music really shaped he way Keith would create his own style.
You can read about Don Williams' influence HERE from CMT.
Keith also performed a similar session with Grammy Pro. Check out the video.
It is a long session, but incredibly insightful to the thought process of making an album.