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I remember Glenn Miller coming to me once, before he had his own band, saying, How do you do it? How do you get started? It’s so difficult. I told him, I don’t know but whatever you do don’t stop. Just keep on going.

Benny Goodman

You have to have the courage and confidence in your own ability. You have to know what the hell and who the hell you are in this business. Music may change, but I don’t think that ever will.
BENNY GOODMAN

Change Confidence Hell Music
Too many young musicians today want to win polls before they learn their instruments.
BENNY GOODMAN

Musician Want Winning
I’d imagine that a lot of them criticized me-said my technique was too good. Something like that. But I’ve always wanted to know what made music. How you do it, and why it sounds good. I always practiced, worked like hell.
BENNY GOODMAN

Good Imagine Music Sound
It takes the black keys and the white keys both, to make perfect harmony.
BENNY GOODMAN

Keys Perfect White
If you want to do something, you do it anyway, and handle the obstacles as they come.
BENNY GOODMAN

Handle Obstacles Want
Creativity grows out of two things: curiosity & imagination.
BENNY GOODMAN

Art Creativity Two
I think my first impression (of Bix Beiderbecke) was the lasting one. I remember very clearly thinking, ‘Where, what planet, did this guy come from? Is he from outer space?’
BENNY GOODMAN

Heart Play Thinking
To this day, I don’t like people walking on stage not looking good. You have to look good. If you feel special about yourself then you’re going to play special.
BENNY GOODMAN

Good Day People Play
People have often said to me, ‘You’re so relaxed when you play.’ Relaxed my elbow. It’s practice.
BENNY GOODMAN

People Play Practice
I don’t have any great love for Chicago. What the hell, a childhood around Douglas Park isn’t very memorable. I remember the street fights and how you were afraid to cross the bridge ’cause the Irish kid on the other side would beat your head in. I left Chicago a long time ago.
BENNY GOODMAN

Fighting Kids Memorable
If I have something I want to do, I make a business of doing it.
BENNY GOODMAN

Business Dedication Want
As soon as it was understood that we could handle things in our own way, it was the thrill of my life to walk out on that stage with people just hemming the band in.
BENNY GOODMAN

Bands People Thrill
I remember Glenn Miller coming to me once, before he had his own band, saying, How do you do it? How do you get started? It’s so difficult. I told him, I don’t know but whatever you do don’t stop. Just keep on going.
BENNY GOODMAN

Band Difficult Remember
Sometimes when you start losing detail, whether it’s in music or in life, something as small as failing to be polite, you start to lose substance.
BENNY GOODMAN

Details Losing Substance
When I first arrived (in New York), it seemed to me the most terrifying city in the world… all those big buildings.
BENNY GOODMAN

Cities Country Lonely
I’d never heard anything like the way he played-not in Chicago, no place. The tone-he had this wonderful, ringing cornet tone. He could have played in a symphony orchestra with that tone. But also the intervals he played, the figures-whatever the hell he did.
BENNY GOODMAN

Country Heard Play Symphony Tone

I remember Glenn Miller coming to me once, before he had his own band, saying, How do you do it? How do you get started? It’s so difficult. I told him, I don’t know but whatever you do don’t stop. Just keep on going.

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I remember Glenn Miller coming to me once, before he had his own band, saying, How do you do it? How do you get started? It’s so difficult. I told him, I don’t know but whatever you do don’t stop. Just keep on going.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Benny Goodman Quotes