Benny Goodman

As soon as it was understood that we could handle things in our own way, it was the thrill of my life to walk out on that stage with people just hemming the band in.

Too many young musicians today want to win polls before they learn their instruments.

One way or the other, if you want to find reasons why you shouldn’t keep on, you’ll find ’em. The obstacles are all there; there are a million of ’em.

Sometimes when you start losing detail, whether it’s in music or in life, something as small as failing to be polite, you start to lose substance.

After you’ve done all the work and prepared as much as you can, what the hell, you might as well go out and have a good time.

I remember Glenn Miller coming to me once, before he had his own band, saying, How do you do it? How do you get started? It’s so difficult. I told him, I don’t know but whatever you do don’t stop. Just keep on going.

I’ll put on a punk rock T-shirt, a ’50s style skirt, and a pair of flip-flops. I like to mesh a whole bunch of things together.

I don’t care what you think about me. I don’t think about you at all.

I like things that are worn, like an old pick-up truck that’s stood by you, hauled wood or hay, moved your neighbor’s furniture, carried kids and dogs. It’s a little dented and the paint’s a little faded, but that patina is evidence of a history of work and a kind of honesty, which to me is very American.

I dyed my hair blonde when I was 14. My mom was not happy. But I love being blonde.

I like to be stylish and edgy, but also low maintenance.

Clothes are fun. The designers have so much fun making them, you should have fun wearing them, too.

It’s the 90’s. You don’t want to look rich.

I’m not ashamed to dress ‘like a woman’ because I don’t think it’s shameful to be a woman.

A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.

For me, skinny is just a style of jeans – not a goal.

It was heartbreaking for me to have to leave Nike, but they refused to allow me to get royalty on my shoe and I knew I had the hottest shoe in the world.

A lot of musicians put diamonds on things to show they had money. I on the other had felt that a Rolex Daytona showed I had style and I didn’t need to be flashy.

I was so happy when I saw Jimmy Kimmel walk out in the Yeezys. That was an olive branch. He lead with love. I appreciate Jimmy and his team. You guys are Jedi’s. much love.

If I’m just in dungarees, I don’t think I would intimidate anyone.

I wear the same outfit or, at least, a different copy of it almost every day.