It is Billie Holiday who was, and still remains, the greatest single musical influence on me.
Interpretation
Frank Sinatra expresses admiration for Billie Holiday as his most significant musical influence.
In this quote, Frank Sinatra acknowledges the profound impact that Billie Holiday had on his musical style and career. He emphasizes her importance not just in his past but as a lasting influence, suggesting that her artistry shaped his understanding of music and performance.
In practice
In a motivational speech about the impact of predecessors in any field, one could use this quote to illustrate the importance of recognizing influences.
With few exceptions, every major pop singer in the US during her generation has been touched in some way by her genius. It is Billie Holiday who was, and still remains, the greatest single musical influence on me. Lady Day is unquestionably the most important influence on American popular singing in the last twenty years.
When lip service to some mysterious deity permits bestiality on Wednesday and absolution on Sunday, cash me out.
There have been many accolades uttered about Elvis' talent and performances through the years, all of which I agree with wholeheartedly. I shall miss him dearly as a friend. He was a warm, considerate and generous man.
Dare to wear the foolish clown face.
I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps
I think my greatest ambition in life is to pass on to others what I know.
A band's only unique thing is its chemistry, especially if none of you are prodigious players or particularly handsome. The one thing you have is your uniqueness, so we hold on to that.
One of the reasons I believe in jazz is that the oneness of man can come through the rhythm of your heart. It’s the same anyplace in the world, that heartbeat. It’s the first thing you hear when you’re born — or before you’re born — and it’s the last thing you hear.
My definition of Blues is that it's a musical form which is very disciplined and structured coupled with a state of mind, and you can have either of those things but it's the two together that make it what it is. And you need to be a student for one, and a human being for the other, but those things alone don't do it.
Things like guitars and ukuleles, you should never part with it, because there will probably be good, healthy times spent, just playing and writing.
Much as I adore the melodies, I choose a song for what it has to say.
To this day, if I ever meet grownups who play ukulele, I love 'em.
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