Tony Bennett Quotes

We're absolutely American and distinctly so, I think. That's part of what people respond to outside of this country, part of the reason that we're such a huge band outside of the U.S., where we're not so popular now as we were 10 or 12 years ago.

People in England were coming up to me, saying, My mother and father turned me on to your music. This happened to me 20 years ago. When I was 40 they were saying that.

My father was interested in bringing reggae music to the entire world.

Pop music has greater power to change people and to affect people because it's a universal language. You don't have to understand music to understand the power of a pop song.

It's fair to say that white America wouldn't have elected an African-American president without the integrating effect of black music - from Louis Armstrong to hip-hop - and black drama and fiction, commercial as much as 'serious.'

I think the most exciting thing is that you expect people our age to know the music, but actually a lot of kids know the music, and if anything is left, we have left really good music, and that's the important part, not the mop-tops or whatever.

I'd say we do reach somewhat of a younger audience, but I think for the most part that younger audience is picking our music up from a brother or sister or even parent, who is turning them onto the band.

The whole world loves American movies, blue jeans, jazz and rock and roll. It is probably a better way to get to know our country than by what politicians or airline commercials represent.

I didn't think much about foreign readers when I began 'Naruto,' but I knew that many of the artists who influenced me had already been accepted overseas.

I grew up watching American films, listening to American music, and it's a big contribution to the rest of the world. I mean, American jazz, for me, is the best thing culturally that America has produced.

The DJ still has the relationship with the people, I believe. I don't know to call the DJ 'the ambassadors' or what, but we still are connecting the dots, getting the good stuff and passing it on to the people. DJs still have relevance, even with the technology that elevates the DJ beyond being a selector.

I grew up on popular music, and rock-and-roll expresses very deep feelings of those people who don't have a lot.

It's powerful when you're able to celebrate your culture, but also bring the arts and music to the masses.

I'm trying to help Apple Music be an overall movement in popular culture, everything from unsigned bands to video.

It's an honour to have been invited to perform in India for 'Vh1 Hip Hop Hustle.' This only reconfirms the impact Hip Hop culture and music has made globally.

I remember I took a music course in junior year of high school, and some girl brought in 'Teardrops On My Guitar,' and she was like, 'Isn't this song great?' And everyone was like, 'Who's Taylor Swift?' And now, every time I listen to Taylor Swift, I remember that moment.

If it hadn't been for record people like Ralph Peer, the Chess brothers, and Alan Lomax, then life would've been unbelievably dull, and I would've been sacking groceries somewhere and probably, at this point, running a little 7-Eleven down by the airport.

Outwardly seeing how your music effects culture and everyday life, is amazing.

What I place most importance on is trying to create more opportunities to showcase the music, in a way that new listeners will be able to understand and feel passionate about.

There are many songs that have become popular and people sing along with it without knowing the meaning of its lyrics.

I feel so honored that I'm bringing part of the culture of my country to other countries, you know, like the funk music.

I was travelling a lot, during the release of 'Dilbar,' to various countries, and the song would be played at random places like lounges, coffee shops, streets, and I realised the song had reached levels that was beyond India.

I think music is supposed to be shared.

I do believe that the Chinese are becoming international leaders in showing the way forward for concert music.

When I was still back in Cameroon, because I didn't know English, I used to listen to French rap all the time and then a little bit of American hip-hop. And then, when I got to the States, that's when I really got into all those guys - Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, all those guys.