Valerie Simpson [1946-0] American Rank: 101 Musician
Teacher
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Motown was the mecca. It was every writer's dream to work there. | | 101My daughters are here, and that makes me feel good. And with the spirit of Nick Ashford, I think I'll make it through. I have no choice. | | 102I guess I'm in a state of becoming. Even though I've had a full career and I've been around a long time, it's like dinosaurs are coming back. It's all new. I'm having to be on my own and seeing how exciting life can be now. | | 103There is a formula that allows you to write a decent song. But a song like 'You're All I Need to Get By,' it just writes itself. | | 104Both my grandmothers had upright pianos, and I just knew how to play since I was a child. Nobody taught me. I sounded like a grown-up, and then I learned how to read music. I played so well by ear I could fool the teacher to believe I could play the notes. She'd make the mistake of playing the song once, and I could play it. | Teacher | 105In transition I think the spirit goes somewhere, but I don't think it leaves. | | 106It's interesting when you've been a partner with someone for so long. So now to sing solo and starting all over again I am learning that I am more bodacious than I thought. I don't know where it's coming from but I am glad. | | 107You know, we have two families: the one we're born into, and the one that we make for ourselves afterwards. | | 108We have been playing to a 70-30 black to white audience. And we are just doing what should come next, trying to attract a larger house, trying to reach an audience that's half black and white. | | 109I was a good sight reader and I could sing two or three of these jingles a day. An orchestra would come in for half an hour, and then the singers would come in and knock 'em out, and go on to the next one. I was the voice of Budweiser and Almond Joy. | | 110And it's a lot harder to hide with four musicians than it is with eight. | | 111It's a songwriter's dream to have a song recorded and run up the charts. | | 112I don't know what I want to do. There are people who want me to do things. There's a possible book. There are lots of things to consider. I just have to figure out what I want to do. I'm not one to sit around and do nothing. | | 113When you're a producer and an artist you're very critical of yourself. I like to produce other people, but I'm not that good at producing myself. | | 114Nobody in my family was musical. I had no idea you could be a songwriter and make a living at it. It was all discovery. It was all just thrown at me. | | 115I've already lived one full life, and so now I'm about to endeavor to see what else the good Lord has in store for me, and I'm wide open. | | 116Sometimes you want a Part Two in your life. | | 117We stand on our songs and we stand on the songs that we wrote for other people. That gives us a higher platform. | | 118In the future I think the labels on most pop music are going to go. Everyone keeps jumping into everyone else's space. | | 119 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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