Brian McKnight

I thought that true love was a just fairytale but I have it and it’s pretty amazing.

I’m not thinking about what needs to be on the radio. I’m not thinking about anything other than – I’m just going to let this music come out of me and not have any sort of preconceived notion of what I should do. I’m just going to do it.

I was probably six years old when I first sang before an audience.

I keep these songs in my head until I get behind the microphone. I never spend more than 30 or 40 minutes singing the vocal or it will sound mechanical. There are always mistakes, but it’s about feeling more than being perfect.

The fans dictate to you when you’re done!

I think they can co-exist. You don’t have to put one down for another. I’ve been bitten by the acting bug, and where it takes me, it won’t take away from the music.

While many attempts have been made to define Jazz, what’s the point really. Jazz is to be experienced – period.

Jazz music is our original American culture.

I try to practice with my life.

I don’t have a favorite song that I’ve written. But I do have a favorite song: ‘Always on My Mind,’ the Willie Nelson version. If I could sing it like he do, I would sing it every night. I like the story it tells.

Your humanity is your instrument.

A guy is influenced by hundreds of people and things, and all show up in his work. To fasten on any one or two is ridiculous. I will say one thing, though. Lennie Tristano’s early records impressed me tremendously. Tunes like ‘Tautology,’ ‘Marshmallow,’ and ‘Fishin’ Around.’ I heard the fellows in his group building their lines with a design and general structure that was different from anything I’d ever heard in jazz.

I always try to teach by example and not force my ideas on a young musician. One of the reasons we’re here is to be a part of this process of exchange.

We go in there and we work on altering those ideas and in many cases go in different directions.

[on B. B. King] Very seldom does he talks about the way he play, man. He always wanna talk about young women. And I fuss at him sometimes, I say, ‘Man I wanna know what did you do here!’

Jazz is the big brother of Revolution. Revolution follows it around.

If jazz has to be termed as a wave, then music is a sea, but if the reflectors in the water is the chord.

Jazz is there and gone. It happens. You have to be present for it. That simple.

You have to understand the styles and it’s good to study those that came before us.

Jazz is one of the best things that you can find in your life, it can always be your friend.

One very important thing I learned from Monk was his complete dedication to music.