People should watch out for three things: avoid a major addiction, don't get so deeply into debt that it controls your life, and don't start a family before you're ready to settle down.
James TaylorRead
I'm glad about what's happening to the music business. This last crop of people we had in the 90s, who are going away now, they didn't like music. They didn't trust musicians. They wanted something else from it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
James Taylor expresses relief that the music industry is evolving away from people who don't appreciate true artistry.
In this quote, James Taylor reflects on the changing landscape of the music business, noting his satisfaction with the departure of individuals from the 90s who prioritized commercial interests over genuine musical talent and integrity. He emphasizes that those who were more focused on profit rather than the essence of music are fading away, paving the way for a new generation that values and trusts musicians and their creative expression.
Themes
MusicBusinessCreativityIntegrityArtistry
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech at a music industry conference, one could use this quote to highlight the importance of valuing genuine artistry over commercialism.
More from James Taylor
All quotes βI think that American music, for me, it's a synthesis of a lot of different things. But for me growing up in North Carolina, the stuff that I was listening to, the things that I was hearing, it was all about Black music, about soul music.
James TaylorRead
I would advise you to keep your overhead down; avoid a major drug habit; play everyday, and take it front of other people. They need to hear it, and you need them to hear it.
James TaylorRead
I don't read music. I don't write it. So I wander around on the guitar until something starts to present itself.
James TaylorRead
It's probably foolish to expect relationships to go on forever and to say that because something only lasts 10 years, it's a failure.
James TaylorRead
Performing is a profound experience, at least for me. It's not as if I sit down and play 'Fire and Rain' by myself, just to hear it again. But to offer it up... the energy that it somehow summons live takes me right back, and I do get a reconnection to the emotions.
James TaylorRead
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