Brian McKnight

I think the one thing that I’ve learned is that you cannot predict what’s going to happen. You can’t sit back and try to figure out what people want or leave it up to them to decide. When we all started in this business we would dictate to the audience what was great and they picked up on that based on the fact that we believed that it was great. But that’s all changed. What’s happened in the last ten years or so because is that the technology now means that everyone with a computer can make music and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not.

I’m the fifth generation of Seventh Day Adventists and the youngest of four brothers. When I was still very small, we formed a gospel quartet.

I’m not thinking about what needs to be on the radio. I’m not thinking about anything other than – I’m just going to let this music come out of me and not have any sort of preconceived notion of what I should do. I’m just going to do it.

I was brought up to be a gentleman. That means you know how to walk, talk and dress the part.

I’m probably the furthest from being romantic that you’ve ever seen; I’m not even close to being romantic in any way until I have to be.

My fans are the best in the world! They’ve grown up with me and stayed with me through this entire journey.

We made records to document ourselves, not to sell a lot of records. I still feel that way. I put out a record because I think it’s beautiful, not necessarily commercial.

The blues was like that problem child that you may have had in the family. You was a little bit ashamed to let anybody see him, but you loved him. You just didn’t know how other people would take it.

People will hire you and then tell you not to do what you were doing when they heard you.

I’ve always had a deep love of live performance, it’s when I feel most alive.

You can be beyond yourself, better than your technique, better than most of your usual ideas.

The greatest moments of the human spirit may be deduced from the greatest moments in music.

I’m a fan first. I believed Duke Ellington when he said there’s no bad music, just some of it is presented badly. As a kid, hanging around Church Street, the presentation of music was so powerful, I couldn’t help but jump for joy. I had discovered art, or truth, or whatever you want to call it; I had seen a light I’d follow forever.

I often wonder whether Negroes like myself who are pretty well known help out at all in breaking down barriers.

I haven’t a great Jazz band and I don’t want one.

If you want to be a musician, study your craft. Study music.

I think I’ve tried to stay true to my music since the beginning. It’s kind of hard because of the access and technology but I just do what I do.

When you just get mixed up and there’s too much going on, then it’s time to pick up your guitar.

What does music mean to you? What would you do without music?

Miles Davis and John Coltrane were so cool, if alive today global warming wouldn’t be an issue.

What I’m doing, I prefer to call that jazz, because it is a beautiful word – I love it.