Don Was
“I would find it offensive, especially with the caliber of people I’m working with, to take over someone’s record. Why should someone else paint themselves into Bob Dylan’s portrait? That’s a lot of nerve. It’s not my job. I try to get to the essence of these people, but I don’t invent the essence. What I have to offer is that I can clear away some of the stuff that obscures who they are. I try to make personal records for the people I work with.”
Vince Gill
“I played in different bands and did pretty okay with that. I didn’t have to be the front guy or the focal point; if I got to be in a good band and play great music as the harmony singer, lead guitar, rhythm guitar... just getting to do it was a gift. I had the respect of my peers and other musicians. All those kinds of things mattered more to me than cracking the code of being a big shot smarty pants, as my friend says.”
Cleo Tighe
“The main thing is to be in that trusting kind of energy that it’s going to happen… we’re all just there to create.”
Ink
“I love to work with all great artists on the planet, and if I don’t get to I’m still content, because the artists that I’ve worked with are just so incredible, and it has left such a mark on my artistry and my story and my journey.”
Philip Klein
“Your job is to help the composer’s vision come to life, so you have to check your ego at the door. It’s actually a good thing when your creative voices are different, because you learn more.”
Chris Seefried
“The trick is to make this musical story make sense. One way we did was to tie it lyrically with [Lady Blackbird’s] personal story. Strongly relate to the story and feeling of what’s being delivered… an alchemy between melody and lyric.”
Charlie Rosen
“You don’t have to play a lot of instruments at a high level, but the more you can at least somewhat play, the better you’ll be at writing with those instruments and communicating with musicians who do play them. With visual media, think about the point of what’s occurring onstage or onscreen.”
Olivier Derivière
“My role is to listen. I’m not here to impose. And when I understand enough, I can start offering things… The one thing I never talk about with them is music. I’m talking about intentions.”
