Nat King Cole

For years the trio did nothing but play for musicians and other hip people. We starved.

The whites come to applaud a Negro performer just like the colored do. When you’ve got the respect of white and colored, you can ease a lot of things.

For years the Trio did nothing but play for musicians and other hip people. We practically starved to death.

I make no claim to being a business genius. You can make so much money in this business that it loses its value.

I am an American citizen and feel I am entitled to the same rights as any other citizen.

The people who know nothing about music are the ones always talking about it.

Dizzy used to tell me I’m playing too hard. He’d say to not give everything. Miles told me that too.

The main thing is to be satisfied with your work yourself. It’s useless to have an audience happy if you are not happy.

Music must be an innovation.

Bass players are always the intellectual kind, but nobody knows it.

Jazz can only enhance the Classical side and Classical can only enhance the Jazz side.

Somebody asked me once, ‘Do you think that swing will ever come back?’ And I said, ‘Do you think the 1938 Form will ever come back?’

Oh, my darling, it’s incredible, that someone so unforgettable should think I am unforgettable, too.

How can I turn emotion into knowledge? That’s what I try to do with my horn.

I played in rhumba bands, mickey mouse bands; all kinds of bands.

I want the music to connect to people; reach people every time I perform.

Your daddy’s rich and your ma is good lookin’ So hush little baby don’t you cry.

Leo wanted me to be partners with him – for it to be the Fender guitar: the Les Paul Fender. When he approached me with the idea, he brought over a guitar and he gave it to me and I have it here. And I thought, if I’m gonna do this I’m going to go with the biggest company in the world: Gibson. Why should I fool around with some guy who is not a musician – I should go to the Gibson people.

Especially, I want my work-and the trios if possible-to sing.

Inspiration comes from tunes you play, other musicians and your own imagination.

For me, there wasn’t a line between working and getting paid or simply playing for fun.