--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know how much more what I've done…" description: "\"I don't know how much more what I've done is any more important than what Ella Fitzgerald did. Ella crossed those lines, as did George Benson before me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/al-jarreau-7533_able_i-don-t-know-how-much-more-what-i-ve-don_1991624.jpg" --- # I don't know how much more what I've done is any more… ![“I don't know how much more what I've done is any more important than what Ella Fitzgerald did. Ella crossed those lines, as did George Benson before me. There've been lots of people who brought a pop audience to jazz because they were able to link the two and give people easy access to the world…” quote by Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/al-jarreau-7533_able_i-don-t-know-how-much-more-what-i-ve-don_1991624.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/al-jarreau-7533_able_i-don-t-know-how-much-more-what-i-ve-don_1991624.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/al-jarreau-7533_able_i-don-t-know-how-much-more-what-i-ve-don_1991624.jpg) > “I don't know how much more what I've done is any more important than what Ella Fitzgerald did. Ella crossed those lines, as did George Benson before me. There've been lots of people who brought a pop audience to jazz because they were able to link the two and give people easy access to the world of jazz.” [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker emphasizes that personal achievements matter less than pioneering artists who opened doors for others. **In simple terms:** Pioneers matter more than individual work. Key Takeaway Recognize and honor trailblazers. Themes humility legacy influence Mood respectful reflective Type inspirational historical When to use this quote - music education - career mentorship - industry advocacy Key Concepts cultural impact artistic innovation role models Questions to Reflect On - Who has inspired your path? - How can you amplify others' achievements? A Different Perspective Individual effort cannot replace groundbreaking contributions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Access](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Audience Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience-jazz-3456363/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) [Brought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brought/) [Crossed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crossed/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Ella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ella/) [Ella Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ella-fitzgerald/) [Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitzgerald/) [George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george/) [Give](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/give/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Ella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-ella-3456362/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/link/) [Lots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lots/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/much/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop/) [Pop Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-audience-3456364/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't really grow up on hip-hop. Ella Fitzgerald and the old school jazz divas are more my comfort zone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/i-didn-t-really-grow-up-on-hip-hop-ella-fitzgerald-and-the-old-school/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [When I was 3 or 4, I seemed to be bursting with music. They played Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Frank Sinatra in the house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hill/when-i-was-3-or-4-i-seemed-to-be-bursting-with-music-they-played-ella/) [Dan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hill/) > [I've always sung. I was really into musical theater when I was growing up. As a kid, I listened to Ella Fitzgerald and Nina…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/i-ve-always-sung-i-was-really-into-musical-theater-when-i-was-growing/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [My style of singing has always been referred to 'soul' singing when it fact it's more influenced by English R&B Blues Shouting. I'm closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/my-style-of-singing-has-always-been-referred-to-soul-singing-when-it/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I'm comfortable singing jazz. The only thing I was concerned about is that everybody, even in jazz, has their own style. To me, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-knight/i-m-comfortable-singing-jazz-the-only-thing-i-was-concerned-about-is/) [Gladys Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-knight/) > [No one in the world can beat Ella Fitzgerald as a riff singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-waters/no-one-in-the-world-can-beat-ella-fitzgerald-as-a-riff-singer/) [Ethel Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-waters/) > [I would say my greatest musical influences have been Ella Fitzgerald and Mary J. Blige.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/i-would-say-my-greatest-musical-influences-have-been-ella-fitzgerald/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [My favorite singer is Ella Fitzgerald.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-j-smith/my-favorite-singer-is-ella-fitzgerald/) [Brian J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-j-smith/) > [I have struggled for decades now with the fear of and resistance to change - mostly in the realms of technology, transportation, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/i-have-struggled-for-decades-now-with-the-fear-of-and-resistance-to/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [I definitely grew up to Nina Simone and a lot of Ella Fitzgerald. And I loved Amy Winehouse. I loved that sort of soulful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/i-definitely-grew-up-to-nina-simone-and-a-lot-of-ella-fitzgerald-and/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [Ultimately, I'd say a lot of my vocal influences are jazz-based, people like Ella Fitzgerald, or Fred Astaire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ward/ultimately-i-d-say-a-lot-of-my-vocal-influences-are-jazz-based-people/) [Bill Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ward/) > [One of my biggest musical influences is definitely Ella Fitzgerald as a vocalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-varner/one-of-my-biggest-musical-influences-is-definitely-ella-fitzgerald-as/) [Elle Varner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-varner/) > [I want an audience that we might call a pop audience. Cross over to pop. Cross over to R&B. And bring those people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-want-an-audience-that-we-might-call-a-pop-audience-cross-over-to/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [Imagine a singer with the virtuosity of Joan Sutherland or Ella Fitzgerald, the public persona of Eleanor Roosevelt, and the audience of Elvis, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/imagine-a-singer-with-the-virtuosity-of-joan-sutherland-or-ella/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [I loved Judy Garland growing up, and I also loved Ella Fitzgerald.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-mendez/i-loved-judy-garland-growing-up-and-i-also-loved-ella-fitzgerald/) [Lindsay Mendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-mendez/) ## More by Al Jarreau > [I want to give the audience the whole package, and for me, the whole package is to give them something fresh as well. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-want-to-give-the-audience-the-whole-package-and-for-me-the-whole/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I'm a Buckeye at heart. I spend more time giving concerts in Ohio than I do in any other state - perhaps more time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-m-a-buckeye-at-heart-i-spend-more-time-giving-concerts-in-ohio-than/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [Let that get you up in the morning and put the light in your eyes. I'm telling you, it makes you a better husband,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/let-that-get-you-up-in-the-morning-and-put-the-light-in-your-eyes-i-m/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I'm an R&B and pop singer as well as a jazzer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-m-an-r-b-and-pop-singer-as-well-as-a-jazzer/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I really do see it as the start of the second half of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-really-do-see-it-as-the-start-of-the-second-half-of-my-career/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [Every day is Thanksgiving.On this stage you're going to hear God and none of them other words, and I ain't going to touch my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/every-day-is-thanksgiving-on-this-stage-you-re-going-to-hear-god-and/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I came along with that crowd of singer-songwriters who were able to make their own statements in such a personal way that it changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-came-along-with-that-crowd-of-singer-songwriters-who-were-able-to/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I think being a little older and a little more determined and being a little more evolved in my case and maturity in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-think-being-a-little-older-and-a-little-more-determined-and-being-a/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [When you do a lyric for 'April in Paris,' those who have heard it before can hear it in a different way now. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/when-you-do-a-lyric-for-april-in-paris-those-who-have-heard-it-before/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I was age six or seven, and singing, "Jesus wants me for her son, beep, to shine for him," and people smiled and pinched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-was-age-six-or-seven-and-singing-jesus-wants-me-for-her-son-beep-to/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I have this image in my head of me in the house I grew up in, and hearing this incredible music on the television…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-have-this-image-in-my-head-of-me-in-the-house-i-grew-up-in-and/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I sat on the piano bench next to my mother in church. Something happened before I set foot on this planet. I was crawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-sat-on-the-piano-bench-next-to-my-mother-in-church-something/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I'm a little bit nervous for us with all of this electronically generated new hyper-space that we've moved into, where not only people but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-m-a-little-bit-nervous-for-us-with-all-of-this-electronically/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [The Metropole Orchestra is like Count Basie or Duke Ellington with strings... it's strings that swing. Strings that swing like Dizzy Gillespie... keep swinging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/the-metropole-orchestra-is-like-count-basie-or-duke-ellington-with/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I came here with something in me that I inherited from my folks. So I'm going to do something called life and times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-came-here-with-something-in-me-that-i-inherited-from-my-folks-so-i/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) [Explore all 90 Al Jarreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't know how much more what I've done is any more important than what Ella Fitzgerald did. Ella crossed those lines, as did George Benson before me. 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