Dizzy Gillespie Quotes

I always felt like my future was at stake every time I stepped on stage and that was kind of hair-raising. At some point I just went, don't be frightened, you can't do anything wrong, it's your show.

I reached the stage where I was afraid to wiggle my leg, but then I thought 'why shouldn't I?' It's what I do and now I know how to turn an audience on again.

Even though I was very shy, I found I could get onstage if I had a new identity.

I've always been pretty reserved, but after taking drama classes in middle school to get more comfortable performing in front of people, I thought I should try out for television.

I quite like the idea of performing in front of people that don't like me.

It took me a long time to be alright with smiling onstage.

When you are new to the business, you think if you give a really bad performance, that's one they will print. You will be judged. You just have to be brave.

Onstage I have a natural chutzpa that audiences like. I'm out there.

I don't feel nervous or fearful when I'm on stage.

For many years, I didn't even like the idea of doing a one-person play. Public speaking got me past that. I've always been good at public speaking, but I never really enjoyed it. Then I started to really enjoy it, and that's made all the difference.

If you are a superstar, or whatever you want to call yourself, a person who's had outrageous success, and you decide to go indie and tell the record companies to screw themselves? That takes a certain amount of courage. And bullheadedness, really.

Although I don't gamble in life - I've never played poker - I do gamble on stage. I gamble with myself: 'Can I do this?'

I can never remember being afraid of an audience. If the audience could do better, they'd be up here on stage and I'd be out there watching them.

I can sing in front of people. I can go on a TV show, live, and not feel like I'm going to throw up.

I'm not saying I look cool, but every single time I go onstage, it is a fail if I don't feel like I'm going to pass out at least twice.

I know when I am on stage and I'm kind of on the right track - hopefully most of the time. But a lot of time I'm not.

You put yourself on the line as a performer, and when people reject you, it's a personal rejection.

It may take me a long time before I feel 'ready' to tour as a lead singer. I may never be ready... we'll just have to see.

I never got nervous performing my own material.

I don't worry. I don't doubt. I'm daring. I'm a rebel.

I was the punk outsider who nobody messed with. I was fearless. At 16, I graduated and moved out.

Performing didn't feel comfortable until I was about 17. I loved to sing, but I always said I would never perform because I was too scared.

There is a shy side to me that evaporates when I play on stage, and I like that. I think it's another facet of my character, and I need to do that.

I was about 10, and I was supposed to be playing the piano at the school concert, and I got up in front of the whole school and said, 'I'm sorry. I'm changing the agenda. I want to play some songs I've written.'

I didn't grow up jumping in front of the class and performing, but I definitely had a hunger to be creative.