A wonderful quote from Albert Einstein, who took great pleasure in Mozart’s violin sonatas.
“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
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Harlan Howard was an ‘American Hall of Fame’ country music songwriter.
“Country music is three chords and the truth."
- Harlan Howard (1927-2002)
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Although Aretha Franklin was raised in a more church-based gospel tradition, she eventually became known as is America’s ‘Queen of Soul’.
“I always felt rock and roll was very, very wholesome music.”
- Aretha Franklin (1946-)
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American psychologist, Abraham Maslow, is most widely known for his proposal that there is a hierarchy of human needs ranging from basic physical needs to what he called “self actualization.” Many therapists consider him to be the father of ‘humanistic psychology’.
“A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be.”
- Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)
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A good friend of the composer George Gershwin, Oscar Levant was an American pianist, composer and comedian. He became more famous for his mordant character than for his music.
“There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.”
Louis Armstrong influenced jazz to move towards solo instrumental improvisations in contrast to the group improvisational playing characteristic of Dixieland jazz. He was the most well known Jazz performer of his time and championed the introduction of Jazz to more mainstream audiences.
“Making money ain’t nothing exciting to me. You might be able to buy a little better booze than the wino on the corner. But you get sick just like the next cat and when you die you’re just as graveyard dead as he is.”
- Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)
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Igor Stravinsky, perhaps the most influential classical music composer of the 20th century, was successful musically and financially via the royalties from his compositions and writings as well as the piano and conducting performance revenue he earned throughout his long and prolific career.
“Just as appetite comes from eating, so work brings inspiration, if inspiration is not discernible at the beginning.”
- Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
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The musician, Beatles member, composer and music and film producer George Harrison’s talents became more recognized with his extremely successful solo career after the Beatles breakup.
“As far as I’m concerned, there won’t be a Beatles reunion as long as John Lennon remains dead.”
- George Harrison (1943-2001)
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Two quotes by Frank Zappa, a prolific American musician, composer, band leader and entrepreneur, who was extremely successful as a musician and in running a profitable business in mediums that including rock, classical and jazz.
“Most rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read.”
“All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff.”
- Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
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“I went to watch Pavarotti once. He doesn’t like it when you join in.”
- Mick Miller
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The singer and songwriter, Paul Simon, won the Gershwin prize for popular song, in 2007.
“Being an artist doesn’t mean that you’re a good artist. That was the bargain I first made with myself: I’d say, 'I’m an artist, but I'm not really very good’.”
- Paul Simon (1941- )
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