Quotes from Artie Shaw

I was really running a music school back then, because my band wasn't making any money. I keep talking about money, because most people don't understand the part of money in running a band.

'Swing' is an adjective or a verb, not a noun. All jazz musicians should swing. There is no such thing as a 'swing band' in music.

I did all you can do with a clarinet. Any more would have been less.

An artist should write for himself & not for an audience. If the audience likes it, great. If not, they can keep away.

An entertainer pleases others while an artist only has to please himself.

I like the music. I love it & live it in fact. But for me the business part of music just plain stinks.

It ["Begin the Beguine"] became such a hit that it superseded anything that any band had ever had. It was the first time that a so-called swing band played something melodic and still gave it a beat.

The good old days are neither better nor worse than the ones we're living through right now.

You have no idea of the people I didn't marry.

Shoot for the moon - if you miss you'll end up in the stars.

You have no idea of the women I didn't marry.