--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Still being ambitious to want to play on…" description: "\"Still being ambitious to want to play on the record, I was a mediocre keyboard player. And uh, I seized the opportunity and played the organ.\" — Al Kooper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a39/al-kooper-27961_ambitious_still-being-ambitious-to-want-to-play-on_952600.jpg" --- # Still being ambitious to want to play on the record, I was… ![“Still being ambitious to want to play on the record, I was a mediocre keyboard player. And uh, I seized the opportunity and played the organ.” quote by Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a39/al-kooper-27961_ambitious_still-being-ambitious-to-want-to-play-on_952600.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a39/al-kooper-27961_ambitious_still-being-ambitious-to-want-to-play-on_952600.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a39/al-kooper-27961_ambitious_still-being-ambitious-to-want-to-play-on_952600.jpg) > “Still being ambitious to want to play on the record, I was a mediocre keyboard player. And uh, I seized the opportunity and played the organ.” [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ambition drives one to seize unexpected chances, even when skill is modest. **In simple terms:** Ambitious but mediocre, yet took the organ chance. Key Takeaway Grab opportunities despite doubts. Themes ambition opportunity musicianship self‑belief Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - studio sessions - live performances - collaborations Key Concepts career development risk taking Questions to Reflect On - What opportunities are you hesitating to take? - How can you improve before seizing? A Different Perspective Success may depend on preparation, not just chance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) [Keyboard players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keyboard-players/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Organs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organs/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [So, I really don't consider myself a fabulous keyboard player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geddy-lee/so-i-really-don-t-consider-myself-a-fabulous-keyboard-player/) [Geddy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geddy-lee/) > [Most of the stuff I learned to play, I learned in high school. I had a band in high school, a jazz-fusion thing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcknight/most-of-the-stuff-i-learned-to-play-i-learned-in-high-school-i-had-a/) [Brian McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcknight/) > [I've always been into guitars... we want to put keyboards on, but keyboard players don't look cool onstage, they just keep their heads down.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/i-ve-always-been-into-guitars-we-want-to-put-keyboards-on-but/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [Of course I knew The Band's Canadian keyboard player, the late Richard Manuel, but I didn't play that night because I was there as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/of-course-i-knew-the-band-s-canadian-keyboard-player-the-late-richard/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [I'm kind of a one-note at a time, one finger keyboard player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-sharp/i-m-kind-of-a-one-note-at-a-time-one-finger-keyboard-player/) [Matt Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-sharp/) > [I'm basically a cocktail jazz kind of pianist. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a very good keyboard player. People think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-manzarek/i-m-basically-a-cocktail-jazz-kind-of-pianist-i-ll-be-the-first-to/) [Ray Manzarek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-manzarek/) > [I had been inspired by an organ player named Earl Grant, who played organ and piano together. My mom took me to see him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-preston/i-had-been-inspired-by-an-organ-player-named-earl-grant-who-played/) [Billy Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-preston/) > [Music was a central part of my childhood because my mother played organ and piano in the church, and that meant all us kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/music-was-a-central-part-of-my-childhood-because-my-mother-played/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [I played the organ when I went to military school, when I was 10. They had a huge organ, the second-largest pipe organ in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-played-the-organ-when-i-went-to-military-school-when-i-was-10-they/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [My mother played the organ in church at Georgiana, and I sat on the seat beside her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams/my-mother-played-the-organ-in-church-at-georgiana-and-i-sat-on-the/) [Hank Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams/) > [Even though there are some great keyboard players on the album, there are a number of songs with no keyboard on them and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ritenour/even-though-there-are-some-great-keyboard-players-on-the-album-there/) [Lee Ritenour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ritenour/) > [I think that the most significant, guiding principle was that we wanted to return to a three-piece live form, whereas we became a four-piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cain/i-think-that-the-most-significant-guiding-principle-was-that-we/) [Chris Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cain/) > [For me, it's never been an ego situation where I have been "I'm the boss; expletive you." It's always been a situation where someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/for-me-it-s-never-been-an-ego-situation-where-i-have-been-i-m-the/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [People say I seem very negative about new music - well, if somebody asks me what I think of Keane, I'll tell 'em. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/people-say-i-seem-very-negative-about-new-music-well-if-somebody-asks/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [I was a guitar player in a band that had two keyboard players, sometimes two other guitarists, a bass player, and a drummer, four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-was-a-guitar-player-in-a-band-that-had-two-keyboard-players/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) ## More by Al Kooper > [Every now and then we could steal somebody else's stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/every-now-and-then-we-could-steal-somebody-else-s-stuff/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [If you'd done a good job you'd just step back and let all these different chemistries interact and let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/if-you-d-done-a-good-job-you-d-just-step-back-and-let-all-these/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [Producing Bob Dylan was pretty much a spectator sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/producing-bob-dylan-was-pretty-much-a-spectator-sport/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [ The "Highway 61" album \[of Bob Dylan\] was produced by Bob Johnston if I'm not incorrect. And Bob Johnston was an entirely different producer… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/the-highway-61-album-of-bob-dylan-was-produced-by-bob-johnston-if-i-m/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [I liked being challenged by music. It's good for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/i-liked-being-challenged-by-music-it-s-good-for-me/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [ I think it was Columbia politics, Columbia Records politics that, that, Tom Wilson left \[Bob Dylan\] after "Like A Rolling Stone". ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/i-think-it-was-columbia-politics-columbia-records-politics-that-that/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [The place that I worked I used to joke about it. There was a, every morning at 10:30 I'd come into work and I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/the-place-that-i-worked-i-used-to-joke-about-it-there-was-a-every/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [My influences were mostly gospel. So I was playing my twisted Jewish equivalent of gospel music over his twisted equivalent of rock and roll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/my-influences-were-mostly-gospel-so-i-was-playing-my-twisted-jewish/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [ Only through sheer ambition did I end up playing on \[Bob Dylan sessions\] and the fact that I could do that is a testament… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/only-through-sheer-ambition-did-i-end-up-playing-on-bob-dylan/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [ Musically Bob \[Dylan\] is a primitive. He's not a Gershwin, or somebody that uses eloquent music terms. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/musically-bob-dylan-is-a-primitive-he-s-not-a-gershwin-or-somebody/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [Mike Bloomfield sat down and started playing, and I went, whoa! Because I had never heard any white person play like that before. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/mike-bloomfield-sat-down-and-started-playing-and-i-went-whoa-because/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [ The first generation from the '50s that were in 1650 \[Broadway\] were pretty much all crooks, I mean just out and out crooks. And… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/the-first-generation-from-the-50s-that-were-in-1650-broadway-were/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [The very funny thing about "Like A Rolling Stone" is it was a six minute song, there was no music to read from. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/the-very-funny-thing-about-like-a-rolling-stone-is-it-was-a-six/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [I started in the music business I was first introduced to 1650 Broadway, uh, which was in reality where everything happened in the '60s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/i-started-in-the-music-business-i-was-first-introduced-to-1650/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [At the end of the playback of the take of "Like A Rolling Stone", or actually during the thing, Bob Dylan said to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/at-the-end-of-the-playback-of-the-take-of-like-a-rolling-stone-or/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) [Explore all 20 Al Kooper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) ## More Ambitious quotes > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [I want my squad to be confident, ambitious. They have to believe in big things and we have to set targets internally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-howe/i-want-my-squad-to-be-confident-ambitious-they-have-to-believe-in-big/) [Eddie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-howe/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [“Getting rich is easy, staying rich is impressive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-trip/getting-rich-is-easy-staying-rich-is-impressive/) [Don Trip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-trip/) > [Trying to be perfect may be inevitable for people who are smart and ambitious and interested in the world and its good opinion...What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/trying-to-be-perfect-may-be-inevitable-for-people-who-are-smart-and/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) Chris Kirubi > [I am ambitious to do more than what has been offered me. I want to be the best in whatever career I choose and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-chopra/i-am-ambitious-to-do-more-than-what-has-been-offered-me-i-want-to-be/) [Uday Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-chopra/) > [There are four varieties in society — the lovers, the ambitious, observers, and fools. The fools are the happiest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippolyte-taine/there-are-four-varieties-in-society-the-lovers-the-ambitious/) [Hippolyte Taine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippolyte-taine/) > [People who are ambitious - politicians who crave power - think that they're in control of it, but at some point, the movement that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/people-who-are-ambitious-politicians-who-crave-power-think-that-they/) [Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/) > [I'm not ambitious. Not a bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-m-not-ambitious-not-a-bit/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/aggressive-and-hard-charging-women-violate-unwritten-rules-about/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I understood early on that I was not the best-looking girl in the room. But I knew my advantage was a hard work ethic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-connor/i-understood-early-on-that-i-was-not-the-best-looking-girl-in-the/) [Erin O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-connor/) > [It is ordained that to the ambitious, who derive no satisfaction from the gifts of life and the beauty of the world, life shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/it-is-ordained-that-to-the-ambitious-who-derive-no-satisfaction-from/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by anything, it was a grand, ambitious, and generous idea of Western political civilization, one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-by-anything-it-was-a-grand/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [To talk only about national security, national defense, means to be selfish, ambitious. It is discrimination, isolation. "It is just me. What do I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evo-morales/to-talk-only-about-national-security-national-defense-means-to-be/) [Evo Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evo-morales/) [Browse all 1,269 Ambitious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Still being ambitious to want to play on the record, I was a mediocre keyboard player. 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