Quotes About Identity

I think it's important to say something. If you're making music it's kinda' like, oh, cool, so is everyone else.

The idea of having to conform to someone else's ideal is unacceptable. I'm gonna be me. And if I can't be me, then I'd rather not do it.

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," a song that was written for Simone, she confronted the band's lead singer, Eric Burdon. "So you're the honky," she said, "who stole my song and got a hit out of it?

I tattooed my body so I couldn't fall back on anything. I purposely did that so I couldn't get a normal job and live a normal life. I did it so I had to play music.

Sometimes music, movies and books are the only things that let us feel like someone else feels like we do.

It's like soul music, isn't it all soul music? Otherwise what is it, non-soul music? I-have-no-soul music? Soulless music? People need to put a name on something to identify it, and I understand it.

The art of music above all the other arts is the expression of the soul of a nation.

Charisma, that's my strong point. My personality was always good, but with music I had to grow into it. I grew into who I am now.

Jazz is a word they use to sell our music, but to me that word does not exist.

As I always said, if people wanted to know who James Brown is, all they have to do is listen to my music.

Music is part of being human.

I believe that regardless of how many people you've listened to or emulated over the years, your sound is you and what you really feel inside.

Music… is a memory bank for finding one's way about the world.

Music is a defining element of character.

Each guitar has its own character and personality, which can be magnified once the player engages in beatin' it up

White folks hear the blues come out, but they don't know how it got there.

Kinship doesn't come from skin color. It's in your soul and your mind.

You are what you love, not who loves you.

If your fans are listening to the music and they can relate to it, they'll relate to it a lot more if it comes from us.

Music is a fundamental human right

Once youve changed who you are or who youve portrayed in your music, the fans, theyll catch it... Once I feel like the world knows me for anything else but my music, then I feel like I failed.

Music is what I do; Christ is why I do it.

The way to write American music is simple. All you have to do is be an American and then write any kind of music you wish.

Country music has become the music that best represents the reality of American life.