If I can bring joy into the world, if I can get people to stop thinking about their pain for a moment, or the fact the tomorrow morning they're going to get up and tell their boss off... then I'll be successful. Bobby McFerrin bosbringfact share on social
My father was a very disciplined singer who worked hard at his craft, and I was around that growing up. Bobby McFerrin craftdisciplinefather Change image and share on social
I prepared five songs, I sang them, and he hired me. I started working about a month later at the piano bar. Bobby McFerrin barhiremonth Change image and share on social
Well, I started conducting kind of by accident. I wanted to give myself a special birthday present for my fortieth birthday, and I was living in San Francisco at the time and I started attending some of the concerts and then simply dropping hints. Bobby McFerrin accidentattendbirthday share on social
I'd actually been making my living as an organist with bands since I was probably 15 or 16 years old, and then as a senior in high school I put together a jazz quintet called The Bobby Mack Jazz Quintet. Bobby McFerrin bandbobbycall share on social
But, if there's any aspect of my career that needs attention, it's writing. Bobby McFerrin aspectattentioncareer Change image and share on social
Seriously though, my father was the first African American to sign a contract with the Metropolitan Opera so I grew up with classical music and jazz in the home all the time. Bobby McFerrin africanamericanclassical Change image and share on social
I like to use the audience as my color palette, my instrument. Bobby McFerrin audiencecolorinstrument Change image and share on social
I did the one concert, and I was not bitten by the conducting bug, and I thought I was done, but then the phone started to ring, and gradually, over time, I started conducting more and more. Now a third of my performances are with orchestras. Bobby McFerrin bitebugconcert share on social
