When you think about it, stories are what bring us together. Whether they are sung, written, spoken, or read, their ability to connect with people can’t be denied. It doesn’t matter what language you speak or where you live, stories find their way into the lives of millions of people every day.

Oddly enough, I didn’t grow up loving to read as a child. But I do remember having my Father read me fairy tales before I went to sleep. Listening to stories about Paul Bunyan and The Emperor’s New Cloths always entertained me. While I’m sure the creative writing sparked my imagination, having a loved one read them to me made them more special.

Which brings me to an interesting point. Sometimes the story itself doesn’t matter as much as the person who is doing the storytelling. For example, many of us are quick to defend a lackluster book by an author we adore. But if the book was written by an “unknown” author, we might be more inclined to pan it.

The same holds true for music. There are many great songs, which are essentially stories on a much smaller scale. But without a great singer to convey the emotion and soul of the lyrics, a song can become quickly forgotten.

When it comes to music, Rod Stewart is one of the greatest storytellers to ever live. As a matter of fact, his career retrospective box set, which came out in 1989, was called Storyteller – The Complete Anthology: 1964-1990. This isn’t a coincidence. Rod Stewart is known for writing and interpreting songs like no other. Yes, he’s had some questionable singles and albums, but, at the end of the day, it’s all about his ability to tell a story. His warm, soulful rasp resulted in him being inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: Once as a solo artist and the second time as a member of Faces. Needless to say, this is no small feat.

While stories are extremely influential, so are their storytellers. As I embark on my first book and my first blog, I will keep this in mind. All I can hope for is that my stories bring just as much happiness to others as my favorite storytellers have brought to me.