Roy Ayers quotes

The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers. (Roy Ayers)
I don't trip on that much. I just like to enjoy life and be happy. View quote
Roy Ayers
Some people really trip on success or popularity. My friends would talk to me about that, about tripping on all this stuff, but you know what I tripped on? I started buying property. View quote
Roy Ayers
It's a wonderful feeling just being in this creative motif. View quote
Roy Ayers
I couldn't get my album played over the so-called smooth jazz stations. Jazz stations would not play it. You don't always know who you're making that soul connection with. View quote
Roy Ayers
DJs and people in the street know what they like. View quote
Roy Ayers
I think music all the time. View quote
Roy Ayers
I still look good. I'm trippin', but people tell me that all the time. So check it out, I'm 63, and still kicking. I've been putting records out every year. View quote
Roy Ayers
I'd definitely love to play in Nashville again. That would be really good. View quote
Roy Ayers
A lot of the hip hop artists don't write music. They write words. View quote
Roy Ayers
Artists don't always know. Almost every song I ever recorded that was a hit at the majors that the promotional people picked I didn't think it would be a hit. I was wrong every time! (Roy Ayers)
I generally sell my records online or at the show. You can undersell the distributor and the stores, and people know what they're getting cause they've just seen you live. View quote
Roy Ayers
I've been sampled so much and I'm glad it's happened, it's a great compliment. View quote
Roy Ayers
Most artists have contracts directly with the record company, and when they do music, all of their music is owned by the record company. But I did mine through a production company. View quote
Roy Ayers
Most musicians count at the beginning, and never count and talk to their musicians after that. They only talk to them at the end of the song. But I would count with them and talk. View quote
Roy Ayers
Only a certain number of people go to a store over the period of a year. When a person sees my record on the shelf, it eliminates someone else's record from being sold. It's about continuing to try to find new ways to sell records. View quote
Roy Ayers
People are always defining and re-defining music. My style of playing has been characterized as smooth jazz and acid jazz. I listen as I play; I'm not caught up in defining the type of music I play. View quote
Roy Ayers
Soul has no musical geographical or racial boundaries. View quote
Roy Ayers
The majors, they have to control the distribution, the record outlets, the radio and, in some cases, even the venues. And downloading and pirating have also put pressure on the majors. View quote
Roy Ayers
What we call soul has been around a long time. It comes out of a particular culture that is African in origin, but influenced by 250 years of slavery, as well as other forms of racial oppression. View quote
Roy Ayers
Having good health, being able to breathe and be happy, that's one of the most beautiful gifts. On top of that, I have the gift to play music and make people happy through that. I'm just telling you from my heart, I'm so in love with life. (Roy Ayers)
I was being an artist, being sensitive and technical as artists are. I'm sure Leonardo Da Vinci did that. Artists don't always feel the same as others feel about their work. View quote
Roy Ayers
Back in the day, I used to be in the studio recording 20 hours a day. And that was all of the time. I still record a lot of hours, but I don't go as long as I used to. View quote
Roy Ayers
I don't like rap that you can't understand. The youth is so quick and alert. View quote
Roy Ayers
When I was recording from '70 to '82, I always played piano and laid the tracks down. But I used to talk to the other musicians while the track was playing. View quote
Roy Ayers

Roy Ayers

Roy Ayers - Image
Photo: Edwardx, CC BY-SA 4.0
Occupation: English Musician
Born: September 10, 1940
Died: March 4, 2025
Quotes count: 32