Yes, musicians (and artists in general) look frequently outside their fields of expertise and aesthetical preferences for inspiration, to challenge their own assumptions and acquired habits, to look for new ways, etc.
Along history there has been some major currents of cross cultural influences. Classical composers have always been inspired by popular music and incorporated popular melodies in their compositions. In the beginning of the XX century many European (particularly French) classical composers where interested and influenced by the new Jazz music coming from America. Some jazz currents have drunk heavily from the theoretical bases of classical music. Rock has been influenced by Jazz and vice-versa. Rock has been influenced by classical music (a lot, and not just progressive or symphonic rock). Both Jazz and rock have been influenced by different types of (the so called) "world" music.
Individual artists may search along these common paths or have their specific, some times idiosyncratic interests and sources of inspiration.
These cross influences may manifest themselves in a more or less obvious application of tools, techniques and aesthetical values. Take as an example the usage of the sitar and indian music influence in some songs of the Beatles and solo work of George Harrison. I don't mean that such work is not creative and original, but the presence of a "foreign" influence is rather evident.
Or the influence may be less obvious and more indirect. Again an example from the Beatles, according to Donovan, Paul McCartney wrote Blackbird while trying to learn some traditional folk fingerpicking. Yet, the technique used by Paul McCartney in this song is very personal, not equal to any fingerpicking pattern commonly used.