Though Mr. Earle's mix of rock, country, bluegrass, Irish and folk music may make him a man without a category, he is a brilliant songwriter.

In a March 2010 interview, Bill Ryder-Jones said of James Skelly's songwriting: "James was such a brilliant songwriter, still is."

The most brilliant comic songwriter of his generation writes incisively about being the father of teen-agers and other midlife adventures.

Mr. Brooks is a brilliant comic, not a brilliant songwriter, and he knows it.

He's such a brilliant songwriter that it's a joke he hasn't got a recording deal.

Bob Mackie found it in a brilliant songwriter named Cole Porter.

"Blasko is an undeniably brilliant songwriter"

John Everhart at Under the Radar proclaimed that Banhart is "a singularly idiosyncratic and brilliant songwriter, one hitting an arresting stride on this uniformly superb album."

Brad is a brilliant songwriter and singer who not only has written the music for a show, but also offers Hopkins $15,000 in cash to back the production.

Because John was not just a brilliant songwriter.