Emmylou Harris Names Her Top Canadian Musical Heroes -- Count Five

With a career that spans four decades, 12-time Grammy Award-winner Emmylou Harris is the reigning queen of American roots music. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, her blood runs as red as Alabama clay, but this Southern belle feels a deep connection with the Great White North.

A frequent and renowned interpreter of others' songs, Harris has lent her remarkable voice to tunes by Canadian songwriters such as Neil Young, Robbie Robertson, and Daniel Lanois, and 'Hard Bargain' the title cut from her new record comes courtesy of Toronto's Ron Sexsmith.

In fact, when Harris visited Toronto this March as part of Canadian Music Week, she told Spinner that her biggest musical inspirations hail from above the 49^th parallel. So we asked her to list her top five Canadian inspirations. Here's what she said:

1. Joni Mitchell

"Joni Mitchell is a great influence on me as a songwriter. In fact, I thought, how could I ever write a song when she's already writing my life."

Watch Joni Mitchell Perform 'Big Yellow Taxi'
2. Kate and Anna McGarrigle

"I was lucky enough to be turned on to the music of Kate & Anna McGarrigle; their music effects me so profoundly on a very emotional level."

Watch Kate and Anna McGarrigle Perform 'Gentle Annie'
3. Neil Young

"I was a big fan of Neil Young before I met Gram [Parsons]. I loved Buffalo Springfield and his first solo album."

Watch Neil Young Perform 'Buffalo Springfield Again'
4. Leonard Cohen

"He's huge. I remember when Judy Collins first did 'Suzanne,' all us folkies were wondering,'Who is this writer?' I love Jennifer Warren's version of 'Famous Blue Raincoat.'"

Watch Leonard Cohen Perform 'Suzanne''
5. The Band

"With Levon [Helm] and Robbie [Robertson] you've got a foot in each country. If I had to choose, the Band is my favourite band."

Watch the Band Perform 'The Weight'
Honorable Mention

"Bob Dylan -- He would have been Canadian if weren't for an accident of a few miles."