Ornette Coleman Quotes

Well, I tried to get a record deal in 1966 or '67, and everyone thought I was too eclectic.

I was signed at 19 years old to a major label, and dropped by the time I was 22.

I was initially signed to a German label a few years ago.

You know, Simon he's an artist representative, but Randy and Paula actually were in the industry as artists so they had, you know, the information that they offered to us from their aspect.

I feel very lucky to get to fly the flag of RCA Records and Sony Music.

By the age of 17, for me, we had got an recording contract, and, boom, I was gone.

I'm not desperate to sign, like, a record deal. I'm very hungry, but I'm just not desperate for it.

When I was 19 I had a record deal.

The Roots - we signed our first record deal when I was about 19 years old.

I actually got signed when I was 14 with Sony Sweden. Things didn't really work out with that, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to be exposed to the industry at a young age.

I think, actually, I was the first person to ever sign a simultaneous video and recording deal with a record company.

I always wanted to be a part of a New York-based label, so I've worked really hard to try and network with people that I felt would put me in the right place.

Well, I had a record deal since I was 18, and it got me where I am.

I was signed to A&M, I was signed to Lou Adler, who had a company within a company, which was A&M Records, and everything - James Taylor, Rita Coolidge, Carole King - I worked on all of that stuff.

I was kicked off a record label and didn't get picked up again. It was devastating at first because I thought, 'Oh my God. My career is over. What's gonna happen? What am I going to do?' Once I got that I could have a career, a very good career, without having a hit record, then I changed.

If you're part of a record company, you're a manufactured product. It doesn't mean that you're not talented.

It's not like it used to be where everybody has a record company to belong to.

The record company stay out of my way. Whenever the record is finished, they take it.

I'd done recordings, little demos, since I was in college, which I used to get gigs. But I never thought I'd have a record label.

That's my favorite subject because it really levels the playing field for artists these days. You don't have to sell out to the record company. You don't have to get a five hundred thousand dollars, or whatever, and pay them back for the rest of your life to record a record.

I have just enough people paying attention that I have the freedom to be in charge. And I have a great record company - Nonesuch understands what I'm about.

I love Interscope, I love Star Trak.

This is truly a blessing. Breyon Prescott, Peter Edge and Tom Corson believe in me and have introduced me to a home that also believes and knows exactly what to do with the type of music I'm doing.

I would love to continue working behind the scenes in music - to produce and manage up-and-coming musical talent would be a dream!

Leonard Chess passed, and that was the end of the Chess label for that time.