“I grew up in the spoken-word community. Before everybody had a home studio, or before we could get booked for shows, open mics were the only way to be heard by other people. It really gave me a chance to develop as a performer. Reading a piece of poetry with no beat in front of 20 people is way more challenging than rocking for 10,000 people.” PeopleWayShowsHomeReadingCommunityChallengesChancePiecesHeardFrontsGrewGrew UpBeatsStudiosPerformersSpoken WordMics Author:Macklemore
“My mom was always a fan of just really elegant, sophisticated pieces. I mean we grew up in Maine, so we didn't have a lot of call for black tie or anything, but I think I definitely got that sensibility from her.” ThinkingMeanBlackPiecesFansGrewMomGrew UpMy MomTiesSophisticatedSensibilityElegantMaineBlack Tie Author:Anna Kendrick
“My father urged Alan [Lomax] not to repeat the mistakes of the European folklorists who, a century ago, had collected these peasant songs and then arranged them for part choir and accompanied them on piano, and then told the young people of their country, "Don't change a note, this is our sacred heritage." Father said, whether it's a fiddle tune or a gospel song, learn it right off the record from the people who grew up with it. Don't just learn it from a piece of paper.” PeopleSaidCountryYoungSongFatherMistakeRecordsPiecesCenturyGrewPaperGrew UpSacredNotesPianoRepeatsTunesHeritagePeasantsDon't ChangeChoirFiddleGospel Songs Author:Pete Seeger
“The piano is just a different animal. It's expensive, it's big, it's heavy, and it doesn't fit in the mix easily. Everyone grew up with a piano in their living room, so rocking out on the piano was accessible - it wasn't an upper-class thing. Now pianos have become very much a piece of furniture.” DifferentBigsAnimalRoomsClassPiecesGrewFitGrew UpHeavyPianoExpensiveFurnitureLiving RoomUpper ClassDifferent AnimalsRocking Out Author:Ben Folds
“I spent maybe a week all day every day working on the wall, my first legal wall because I was just so excited and it was nice to be able to chill and relax and work on the piece instead of doing it quickly and running from the cops or whatever. Then it just really grew from there. Other people saw it and appreciated the skill.” PeopleFirstsRunningAbleSawsPiecesNiceWeekWallGrewSkillsExcitedRelaxCopAppreciatedChill Author:Alec Monopoly
“'Our parents' generation had it a lot tougher than we did. They had to live through the Depression, World War II, and then they had to, you know, try to pick up the pieces of their lives and bring up their children. And, it was a great example for us. I guess we grew up with a certain amount of the ethics our parents had, which is, you know: work hard, make your own way, be independent.” KnowsWorldWayTryingChildrenWarHardCertainParentPiecesGenerationsExampleHard WorkGrewAmountGrew UpPicksEthicsIndependentWar Of The WorldsWorld War IiWorld War I Author:Billy Joel
“From the moment you put a piece of bread in your mouth you are part of the world. Who grew the wheat? Who made the bread? Where did it come from? You are in relationship with all who brought it to the table. We are least separate and most in common when we eat and drink.” WorldMadeMomentsCommonPiecesGrewDrinkMouthsTablesBreadWheat Author:Thomas Merton