American Quotes

We all have a way to contribute, to your community, to your family, whatever it is you can do.

Life does not owe me a shred.

I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can.

I'm painfully middle class.

I used to get some ego thing out of saying I wasn't a star, just an actress. Forget it. I'm a star. I wanted it. I worked for it. I got it.

I really want Americans, and all of us, to be less afraid of death, and know that it's a passage, but that - don't go to the funeral before the day of the funeral.

Do not tell somebody how to vote, just go up to them and tell them what Fahrenheit 9/11 meant to you. Fahrenheit will probably not win an Academy Award, but if you put it first on your list, it will become a nominee.

Right now I'm listening to a lot of different things but I listen to a lot of classical music. Eventually I would like to compose and perform classical.

My head works in music, so there's always music there.

My family owns a music store in Claremont, California, called The Claremont Folk Music Center.

If I'm inspired and music inspires me, then I will continue to play it.

If I fall, I fall. I'll rise up like anybody else.

I'm really looking forward to, not more of the same, but a continual growth.

I'm not going to do the Ben Harper house record or the Ben Harper drum 'n' bass record.

I refuse to age disgracefully in rock 'n' roll.

I really feel there's no limitation on what this band can do in the studio or on the stage. That's an empowering feeling - that we can bring a song to life.

I love being on the road, I love playing.

I just want to keep doing what I feel.

I grew up with a heavy diet of gospel, folk, and blues because those are kind of the cornerstones of traditional American music.

I grew up listening to spiritual music, Blind Willie Johnson and folk.

I get diminishing returns when I bore myself in an interview.

Folk is bare bones music.

But I would never insult the people that love this music and I would never insult the blessing of music in my life and I would never insult myself by playing uninspired music.

The Blind Boys are truly the deepest well of American musical heritage you can discover.

If it comes out sounding like Dixieland jazz or classical or punk or rock or even slightly metal, that's because that's where I'm going to find inspiration.

I refuse to make uninspired music.

I really feel like the sky is the limit with the Innocent Criminals today.

As long as the songs are strong, I think you can express yourself in any style and have it be soulful and have it be your own voice.

Sometimes I may be totally arrogant, sometimes I may totally be the most humble guy you've ever met, sometimes I may be in between. But that's life. Who isn't like that? What's the big deal if I had an arrogant moment.

You look like gold. I've been fooled before, but now I know I've made the mistake in the past. But now I, now I know the difference from gold and brass.