Stanley Turrentine

But the guitar, my lady, whether well played or badly played, well strung or badly strung, is pleasant to hear and listen to; being so easy to learn, it attracts the busiest of talented people and makes them put aside loftier occupations so that they may hold a guitar in their hands.

I never wanted to be famous. I only wanted to be great.

You can’t copy anybody and end up with anything. If you copy, you’re working without any real feeling.

I’ll play it first and tell you what it is afterwards.

I never practice my guitar. From time to time I just open the case and throw in a piece of raw meat.

Jazz is an idea that is more powerful than the details of its history.

Why Jazz? This is just the way I see music.

I have a lot of albums yet to do.

The way I feel today, as long as my health is good and I can handle myself well and people still come to my concerts, still buy my CDs, I’ll keep playing until I feel like I can’t.

The day of the great jazz improviser who doesn’t know how to read music is over.

I’m… a rather simple person with a limited talent and perhaps a limited perspective.

To be a true artist you have to play the way you feel not the way others think you should feel.

When I was coming up, I practiced all the time because I thought if I didn’t I couldn’t do my best.

Jazz is an art form that depends on its antecedents. There must be respect for the people that have gone before.

I still love the whole history of Jazz. The old things sound better than ever.