Shortis and Simpson present Under the Influence at Ainslie Arts Centre

What do Barbra Streisand, Spike Milligan, Erik Satie and Slim Dusty have in common? They - among many others - have all inspired Shortis and Simpson on their musical journey through life.

John Shortis and Moya Simpson have performed together for years - as singers, songwriters and choral directors. In June Shortis and Simpson were each awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, recognising their contribution to the musical life of Australia.

Their new show, Under the Influence, will illustrate some of the musicians, music, composers and experiences that made Shortis and Simpson what they are today.

Shortis says the show will combine instrumentals, original works and songs from some of the artists who have inspired one or both of them and they'll stories about their lives. If you want to hear about Shortis being told he was tone deaf, or Simpson being thrown out of the school choir and how she became introduced to Bulgarian folk music (in separate incidents).

Sometimes inspirational artists will be paired in the show in unexpected ways, like the "two Dustys' who influenced each of them separately.

For Simpson, it was fellow British singer Dusty Springfield - "she was moved by her singing" - while for Shortis, it was Australian country music legend Slim Dusty.

"We'll do a slow version of When the Rain Tumbles Down in July - the lyrics are so brilliant."

Shortis says Simpsons grew up in Twickenham in South London and used to sneak off to the Eel Pie Island Hotel to see music acts such as The Yardbirds and the Rolling Stones, which also influenced her tastes and style.

"She used to tell her mother she was going to a friend's."

She was also a fan of the Goons and Shortis says Spike Milligan's silliness and humour also influences his writing. Both worked as teachers, she in England, he in New South Wales, and Shortis says the songs he had to teach tended to be very old-fashioned, things like the Eton Boating Song.

"I used to just write my own songs and I took one of Spike's books, Silly Verse for Kids, where I loved the poetry, and I did set a couple of them with the permission of the publisher."

On the quieter side, Shortis likes French composer Erik Satie's Gymnopedies - which he first heard on a Blood, Sweat and Tears album - and he'll also perform a children's song by Woody Guthrie - who's more famous for his adult folk songs - as well as numbers by Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly and Broadway songwriters Rodgers and Hart.

And Shortis also likes Nobel Prize laureate Bob Dylan's music - as does John Howard, although the former prime minister is less of a fan of Dylan's lyrics, which has inspired Shortis to write a song.

You can hear that, and other songs and influences, on the night.