People ask me how could I go from country to jazz. It’s been a natural convergence for me. Charlie Haden Read Quote
I had to learn right away how to improvise behind Ornette, which not only meant following him from one key to another and recognizing the different keys, but modulating in a way that the keys flowed in and out of each other, and the new harmonies sounded right. Charlie Haden Read Quote
I used to listen to a lot of Bach on the radio, and when the basses started to sing, it made everything complete – it made it all make sense. Charlie Haden Read Quote
I wanted to do ‘Oh Shenandoah’ because that’s the town I was born in – as a tribute to my mom and dad for giving me all this music. I don’t really sing this as a singer, because I’m not a singer. But I wanted to do it for them. Charlie Haden Read Quote
That’s the thing about musicians: The priority is to create something new that’s never been before. And you put your life on the line every time that you play. Charlie Haden Read Quote
There’s enough dismemberment going on in the world without writing music about it. Charlie Haden Read Quote
My roots have never left me… because the very first memory I have is my mom singing and me singing with her. Charlie Haden Read Quote
I wish I could’ve been friends with Charlie Parker and played with him. That’s my period. I feel real close to the ’40s – and actually, I was born in ’37, so I was a kid singing on the radio in the ’40s. But I always dreamed of going to big cities. Charlie Haden Read Quote
