Inspiration Quotes

My dad was into the 1950s doo-wop era. If you look at those groups, or at James Brown, Jackie Wilson and the Temptations in the 1960s, you'll see you had to be sharp onstage.

As far as songwriting, my inspirations came from love, life and death, and viewing other people's situations.

Growing up, I was inspired by The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Damian Rice was a huge influence for me musically.

It is Billie Holiday who was, and still remains, the greatest single musical influence on me.

My greatest teacher was not a vocal coach, not the work of other singers, but the way Tommy Dorsey breathed and phrased on the trombone.

Everyone that was over 13 was my parent. Diana [Ross] was my momma. The Marvelettes were all my parents, The Contours... 'You can't have a candy bar now, you gotta study now, do this now.

The blues are what I've turned to, what has given me inspiration and relief in all the trials of my life.

If I can do just one tenth of the good Michael Jackson did for others, I can really make a difference in this world.

Do something worth remembering.

The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I'm doin' now, man, for more years than I know. I got it from them.

I heard Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, and that was it. I didn't ever want to be anything else. I just started banging away and semi-studied classical music at the Royal Academy of Music but sort of half-heartedly.

Amy [Winehouse] changed pop music forever, I remember knowing there was hope, and feeling not alone because of her. She lived jazz, she lived the blues.

I am a walking piece of art every day, with my dreams and my ambitions forward at all times in an effort to inspire my fans to lead their life in that way.

Knowing that I inspired SAM SMITH is one of the most powerful experiences I've had as an artist. I was Sam. I still am Sam.

I realized my father's sister Joanne, who died at 19 had instilled her spirit in me.

I'm inspired by fashion. I'm inspired by the moonlight. I'm inspired by sex and pornography and slasher films.

You've been my inspiration, through the lies you were the truth. My world is a better place because of you.

Tonight, I would like to pay tribute to the greatest entertainer of all time, Mr. Elvis Presley. Elvis was Las Vegas. And if it wasn't for him, so many performers like myself would not have the chance to do what we do in this town. He really was the king.

I was lucky to have the right heroes. Tell me who your heroes are and I'll tell you how you'll turn out to be. The qualities of the one you admire are the traits that you, with a little practice, can make your own, and that, if practiced, will become habit forming.

You can take things that Jimi Hendrix took, from Curtis Mayfield or from Buddy Guy for example, because we are all children of everything, even Picasso. But if you want to stand out, you have to learn to crystallize your existence and create your own fingerprints.