Circular Music

I was just looking through the old mixed CDs I have made and found something that was kinda funny, to me, because it shows how my music taste varies, heavily influenced by friends, and somewhat circular.
On one of those old CD mixes I had a song by Patty Griffin. It wasn't until last summer I sought out more of her music because of another friend's interest in a few of her songs. I've not been able to get enough of her songs since then. A similar instance with Ani Difranco; This same mixed CD had a song by Ani but it wasn't until 2004 and 2005 that I started getting more of her albums. I probably got them from mixed CDs other people had given me, liked the song, but didn't pursue downloading their music or buying their albums for whatever reason. 2002.... I know I was listening to a lot of Radiohead, Poe, Matchbox 20, Train, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins; Blake and I were dating, year and a half. I wonder how come I didn't pursue either Ani or Patty at that time. Hmm.
I know my friend Carole tried introducing me to Leonard Cohen's music in 2003. I remember her driving towards Jackson in that little red car (a Miata? or a Saab?) and turning on Cohen and saying I oughta like this music. But it takes a little while for some music to settle in with me. Too much was still going on with me emotionally (post-breakup) and the wind was loud and who knows what else. But it'd be another 5 years before I would return to Leonard Cohen, cued again by a few friends' interest in his music and another friend who covered one of his songs.
Back when I was in 6th grade my parents and I went to hear Bob Dylan at the Jackson Auditorium. I was hardwired for U2's music at the time, but I knew this guy was supposed to be great. I couldn't make out a single word he sang. The only song I recognized was All Along the Watchtower, because U2 covers that song as well, and it wasn't because of the words but because of the melody itself that I caught it. Again, in 2002 at Memphis in May I heard Bob Dylan play, but he didn't capture my interest; My attention divided between watching the crowded audience, Blake, and also noticing Willie Nelson's bus stopped for a while: You could see Willie in the window "rocking out" to the music. In 2007, I really revisited Bob's music when my friend Phoebe became engrossed in his songs, lyrically and musically. Sometimes a song would really capture her emotions and she would play it on repeat until it all worked out.
Well, I guess that is enough of another ramble for now.