Artie Shaw

Jazz was born out of the whiskey bottle, was raised on marijuana, and will expire on cocaine.

‘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.

An artist should write for himself and 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 can’t understand these guys who just have to have your autograph. I asked one of them ‘What do you do when you get home, take it out and look at it?’

I can’t understand guys who just have to have your autograph. What do you do when you get home, take it out and look at it?

I mean, if you degrade someone, you isolate them, you control them, you call them names, you demean them. That’s a horrible existence for people.

When women come up to me like, ‘I am a freaking senator,’ or, ‘I’m a doctor,’ it’s like, ‘Damn, y’all like me? I look up to y’all!’

When your friends begin to flatter you on how young you look, it’s a sure sign you’re getting old.

I do believe I am special. My special gift is my vision, my commitment, and my willingness to do whatever it takes.

I mean, I’m very, very competitive.

I am what I am Are you what you are or What?

An idealist is a person who helps other people to be prosperous.

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.

To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail.

No one can be helped unless he can be put in the way of helping himself.

This is the time. This is the place. This is the vastness. Right here is paradise. Always. Always.

The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.

I comfortable with everything – say whatever you want.

You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.

Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.