Richie at 16 years old, and under the influence...........of some of the greatest pop/rock artists of all time, i.e. The Beatles, The Byrds, The Kinks, The Hollies, The Who, Procol Harum, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Donovan, Jeff Beck Group, Yes Group, Led Zeppelin, and others who helped lay the ground work for all that is good in popular music to this day.