Steve Forbert Quotes

Music's been around a long time, and there's going to be music long after Ray Charles is dead. I just want to make my mark, leave something musically good behind. If it's a big record, that's the frosting on the cake, but music's the main meal.

Ray Charles, in his own way, it's like at the beginning, Ray Charles changed American music, not once but twice.

It's like there's the rest of the world, and then there's America. Part of the reason I would really love continue to making music over here because so much of American music has inspired me, whether it's Jeff Buckley, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen.

I think everything Joni Mitchell did for music was big.

I seem to have secured some place in world of music and that's kind of all that really matters to me.

When they look back on me I want 'em to remember me not for all my wives, although I've had a few, and certainly not for any mansions or high livin' money I made and spent. I want 'em to remember me simply for my music.

Late 20th century music was a really important thing. It changed the world, and I'm part of that, and now I'm part of the museum that celebrates that.

In the beginning of my career, I wanted to be chased by girls more than anything - that's why I got the guitar. By the time we were in ABBA, the music was the only important thing.

For the longest time, I wanted to become a pianist. That was kinda my thing.

We are so indebted to our ancestors, musically speaking, that they have left us 400 years of music.

We're trying to have the band create something beautiful that hopefully one day, 20 years from now, can be picked up by a kid and hopefully have the same effect that Neil Young had on me, or Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath.

I felt I had an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of great soul musicians of the past, who made a lot of social and political commentary through their music.

I make a timeless music. I think I've made my mark as a lyricist and as an innovator and as a tastemaker.

I want to become one of the songwriting greats. That's my number one goal.

I've grown up listening to Gorillaz, so for me to, like, be asked to be on the album is an honour.

I hope to record the perfect album, my masterpiece, before I die.

On that same tour we ran into a band at Aylesbury Friars, a biggish venue in Oxfordshire, England. They were a four-piece from Ireland called U2. They seemed like nice fellows and they sounded pretty good, but we didn’t keep in touch. They’re probably taxi drivers and accountants by now.

I learned music listening to Elvis' records. His measurable effect on culture and music was even greater in England than in the States.

I'm extremely happy about music altogether, and the history that I've made. How I changed the world, music-wise, music over the internet and stuff like that.

John Mayer will be around forever, like the Eagles and Eric Clapton.

Townes Van Zandt ranks alongside Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan. He inspired so many songwriters to shoot for something that's timeless.

That was the special thing about the Carolina Chocolate Drops. We didn't want to do music full-time. We weren't looking to get rich, which is good, because we didn't. But we went further than we thought we would go. We started that band to celebrate Joe Thompson and the black string band music. That's not really a recipe for commercial success.

I've always wanted to be a singer.

I want to do music, and I want that to be the highlight of everything that I do. I want that at the forefront.

I dedicate all my time to music. And I'm glad that it's paying off in some ways.