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Not sure what inspired this, but have at it...

For me (in no particular Order)

Pete Norton
Tony Chipburn
Brandt Attema
Yevgeny Mravinsky
Veniamin Margolin
Alexei Evtushenko
Stan Kenton
Carlos Kleiber
Sergiu Celibidache
Gottlob Frick
Feodor Chaliapin
George Younce
Richard Sterban
Sam Cooke

There are lots more, just off the top of my head. How about you?

Fine string and woodwind players. Pipe organs. Also Jaco Pastorius.

Ralph and Carter Stanley
Ella Fitzgerald

Adolph Herseth
Arnold Jacobs
Harvey Phillips
Toby Hanks
Joseph Gingold
János Starker
Connie Wincenc
Kenneth Andrews
Amy Martin
Joel Krosnick
Joseph Novotny
Walter Sear

Neat topic. I have a couple of non-tuba influences that I use with my students weekly to help develop a wonderful concept of sound and musicality.

For sound, I am sold on the recording entitled Ancient Echoes by the Chorovaya Akademia male choir. Someone on Tubenet mentioned this recording a few years ago and this has proven to be one of the most valuable pedagogical tools in my arsenal. If you haven't heard this recording of acapella Russian Liturgical music, it will completely open your eyes and ears to a wonderful concept of sound. Highly recommended!

I know that the original topic was regarding sound influences, so I apologize for getting a little off topic. I am a huge fan of the jazz vocalist Kurt Elling. In my opinion, there are few vocalists (or instrumentalists, for that matter) that can develop a phrase like this talented, Grammy nominated singer from Chicago. All of his CD's are winners, but I especially enjoy "Nightmoves", "Man in the Air" and his recording entitled "Live in Chicago." He is the man.

Interesting topic. Thanks!

Andy Rummel

The late Soprano Saxophonist Steve Lacy! A very inspiring and open minded musician, who concentrated on just that one horn for almost all of his life, which obviously was not a limitation at all. The contrary, I think, that fact seems to have opened up wider horizons.

If I am tempted to, let's say acquire an F-Tuba in addition to my Bb-Tuba, and fancy that would give me more options - I would just have to think of Mr. Lacy to remind me, that there are far more musical options in a single make of an instrument, than i would ever be able to discover (even if i had begun playing tuba some decades before i did).

Edit: Maybe this example only applies to the world of Jazz and Improvised Music.

Recordings of Alexander Kipnis, the Ukrainian bass singer. If you want an example of how to be melodic, exciting, and dramatic in the low register you need look no further.

Jack Bruce
Sonny Stitt
Jussi Bjorling

Roswell Rudd
David Taylor
Dave Douglas
Tom Waits
Harry Partch
Derek Bailey
Miles Davis
Morton Feldman

Neat topic. This isn't exactly what the OP intended, but it's certainly influencial in my studio.

Television Announcers!

When a student is challenged with a too bright or nasal-ish sound I have them impersonate their favourite television announcer. i.e. ".... a new car! And that's not all... Not only will you get the super-primo chopper, but a complete set of stainless steel knives!" etc.

Doing this will (in most cases) get the student used to the sensation of their oral cavity being very open. If they inhale with that same oral cavity and then, with a good healthy breath, play with that same sensation, the sound quality improves dramatically.

I took the idea from similar (but different, of course ) techniques I learned from my past vocal instructors. My experience with voice has also given me really interesting and useful tricks and exercises that I use with my brass students regularly.

Interesting topic. Depending on the type of music I'm playing or learning to play, there is a wide variety:
Brian Bowman
James Pankow
Geddy Lee --- to name a few.

Freddy Hubbard
Clark Terry
Luciano Pavarotti
Bonnie Raitt
John Adams
Samuel Barber
Jackson Browne
Frank Zappa

Ornette Coleman
Tom Waits
Giacinto Scelsi
Louis Armstrong
Janis Joplin
Dexter Gordon

Oh . . . and LSD.

Luciano Pavarotti

Dave Washburn - LA Freelance trumpeter - wonderfully relaxed, even, lyrical sound (trumpet solos on Apollo 13, for example).

Edgar Meyer - double bass player that you HAVE to hear if you haven't before. He has a lightness, fun and dancing quality to his playing that absolutely defies the size of the instrument.

Bryn Terfel - Welsh bass-baritone singer - EVERYTHING he sings is interesting. His tone, diction and phrasing make it so that you can't tune out what he's doing.

just a few.

Luciano Pavarotti
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Edgar Meyer
Yo-Yo Ma
Jacqueline Du Pre
Mstislav Rostropovich
Charlie Vernon
James Markey
Ray Mase
Allen Vizzutti
Dennis Brain
Alfred Brendel
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Aretha Franklin
Eva Cassidy
KT Tunstall
Keb' Mo'
Buddy Rich
Jaco Pastorius

Thanks for the response so far everyone. Its been very interesting to read the responses. I think i've picked up some new things to listen to. Keep it up everyone!