Top 32 Quotes by Roy Ayers

I'd definitely love to play in Nashville again. That would be really good.

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.

You grow and learn a lot about the industry and what happens behind closed doors over the years.

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.

Now I get exposure first with people directly in the clubs. This is a unique situation for me.

A lot of the hip hop artists don't write music. They write words.

I don't think I'm really so unique. If every black person looked at their life they would quickly discover that they have been influenced by every type of music prevalent in America.

I always had this energy level that made me want to come to New York.

I've been sampled so much and I'm glad it's happened, it's a great compliment.

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.