Bela Fleck

Keep on listening and tapping your feet.

I really liked Wynton when I first met him. He’s still a nice young man, only confused.

For a long time I wasn’t listening to music, to the rock and roll stuff on the radio, because it would cause me to get sweaty–it would bring back memories I didn’t want to know about, or I would get that feeling that I’m not alive ’cause I’m not making it. And if it was good, I hated it ’cause I wasn’t doing it. And if it was bad, I was furious ’cause I could’ve done it better…

Learning to read music in Braille and play by ear helped me develop a damn good memory.

You can’t sing about love unless you know about it.

The weird thing about bass is the simplest stuff to do is the hardest.

When the music changes, so does the dance.

Those who wish to sing, always find a song.

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

They’re not particular whether you’re playing a flat 5th or a ruptured 129th as long as they can dance.

Jazz is the only music in which the same note can be played night after night but differently each time.

I’m now a legend, whether I want to be or not.

Music should strike fire from the heart of man and bring tears to the eyes of woman.

Everybody has somebody that they patterned themselves after.

If you’re trying to be hip, be hip!