My grandparents from the old country, Latvia, were all musical on my father's side.
Every week, Dennis Day sang an old Irish folk song. And next day in the fields, I'd be singing that song if I was working in the fields.
I wanna show that gospel, country, blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll are all just really one thing. Those are the American music and that is the American culture.
Our music did not sound like the Beatles in any way, shape or form. I could never find it in myself to use those Beatles tricks in Styx records because they were sacred to me. But what they did always influenced my thinking.
Even the most jingoistic person would have to admit that even American cultural music comes from Europe. That's what classical music is, real European music.
The name 'The Beach Boys' is controlled by Brother Records Inc., which was founded by the original members of the Beach Boys and whose sole shareholders voted over a decade ago to grant me an exclusive license to tour as 'The Beach Boys.' With it, I've felt a great responsibility to uphold, honor and further our legacy.
I think music is a great way of helping people to get to know a country's culture.
I've been traveling all over the world for 25 years, performing, talking to people, studying their cultures and musical instruments, and I always come away with more questions in my head than can be answered.
I had heard blues and jazz all my life but I was never aware that it was associated with nightclubs and drinking.
The music we're playing now is based on my heritage, which is Russian, Romanian and Hungarian.
Christmas brings us great music: Everything from Handel's 'Messiah' to 'White Christmas,' to 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.'
I was bred and raised in a multi-cultural music background.
The Irish aren't great singers, but they have great songs.
Mine is not a traditional music, but it comes from a tradition.
The French-Cajun culture is similar to mine - they're Catholic, they play accordions, and they eat hot chiles.
In terms of black music - the only music that we can call our own, that was really born here - I don't think a lot has been done to chronicle the relations between American history and where black music fits in.
He thought what a fine thing it was that people made music all over the world, even in the strangest settings – probably even on polar expeditions.
I grew up in a family where, when we listened to music everybody would dance, so for me that's a very natural thing to do.
As an artist, I feel so fortunate to be able to learn from all these great musicians that came before me, when some people have nobody that came before them.
Families without songs are unhappy families.
I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. Big time blues and music city. It's always been in my bloodline.
Oral musical traditions are rooted in assured and scrupulous faith.
The music scene in Michigan is really folky and bluegrass, but my parents played a lot of disco. They really liked to dance.
I'm an Australian, and when I grew up much of my influences were American - blues music and country music, all that sort of thing.
I'm not suggesting our music is the only music, but I am suggesting that there are certain elements in America's culture that are so precious that it would be a shame for them to go down the drain.
