--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We played a lot of live shows, we just…" description: "\"We played a lot of live shows, we just kept plugging away and playing music and people kept coming back.\" — Ben Howard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/ben-howard-4511_back_we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-ke_1320209.png" --- # We played a lot of live shows, we just kept plugging away… ![“We played a lot of live shows, we just kept plugging away and playing music and people kept coming back.” quote by Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/ben-howard-4511_back_we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-ke_1320209.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/ben-howard-4511_back_we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-ke_1320209.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/ben-howard-4511_back_we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-ke_1320209.png) > “We played a lot of live shows, we just kept plugging away and playing music and people kept coming back.” [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Consistent effort and live performance build a loyal audience over time. **In simple terms:** Keep showing up and playing; people will return. Key Takeaway Persistently share your work. Themes perseverance music audience growth dedication Mood motivational steady Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - musicians - entrepreneurs - content creators Key Concepts career development creative persistence community building Questions to Reflect On - What daily habits keep you productive? - How do you maintain audience interest? A Different Perspective Success requires sustained effort, not just talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) [Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming/) [Kept Plugging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept-plugging-1475491/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Live shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-shows/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Playing music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-music/) [Plugging Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plugging-away-937362/) ## Related quotes > [I'm just grateful that I didn't give up on myself and I just kept plugging at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-hood/i-m-just-grateful-that-i-didn-t-give-up-on-myself-and-i-just-kept/) [Rodney Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-hood/) > [I was never super comfortable playing music in front of people anyway. Now I enjoy it, but it wasn't the easiest thing to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lanegan/i-was-never-super-comfortable-playing-music-in-front-of-people-anyway/) [Mark Lanegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lanegan/) > [When I started playing music, people weren't selling 5 million records. That was not the standard; that was not the focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/when-i-started-playing-music-people-weren-t-selling-5-million-records/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [What I try to get beyond is playing music at people and, instead, to play music with people because audience members are constantly part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/what-i-try-to-get-beyond-is-playing-music-at-people-and-instead-to/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) > [I write music people enjoy playing and listening to, and I have a group that loves playing the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-mangione/i-write-music-people-enjoy-playing-and-listening-to-and-i-have-a/) [Chuck Mangione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-mangione/) > [I love going on tour and playing music for people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-love-going-on-tour-and-playing-music-for-people/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [“People are dying and you’re playing music?” Several people came into the hallway behind his mother, including his aunt, uncle, and father. Michele said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-t-sullivan/people-are-dying-and-you-re-playing-music-several-people-came-into/) [Mark T. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-t-sullivan/) > [I really enjoy touring and playing music to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-bailey-rae/i-really-enjoy-touring-and-playing-music-to-people/) [Corinne Bailey Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-bailey-rae/) > [I listen mostly to live music, and mostly my musical experience was playing music with other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-listen-mostly-to-live-music-and-mostly-my-musical-experience-was/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [I really love playing music with other people. It's more fun to be on the road with others. It's kind of lonely out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chapman/i-really-love-playing-music-with-other-people-it-s-more-fun-to-be-on/) [Tracy Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chapman/) > [I do like playing music with other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-elverum/i-do-like-playing-music-with-other-people/) [Phil Elverum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-elverum/) > [I was 21, and I was like, "Man, am I really gonna start over and try this whole thing over again? Do I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-goldsmith/i-was-21-and-i-was-like-man-am-i-really-gonna-start-over-and-try-this/) [Taylor Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-goldsmith/) > [You just have to keep plugging away and if you get lucky enough to get a job, you get one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-vartan/you-just-have-to-keep-plugging-away-and-if-you-get-lucky-enough-to/) [Michael Vartan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-vartan/) > [You never know when the break is going to come, so you have to keep plugging away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jinder-mahal/you-never-know-when-the-break-is-going-to-come-so-you-have-to-keep/) [Jinder Mahal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jinder-mahal/) > [I'm still very much plugging away. But if I can build my career, I'll do it like Eric Bana. He has a family; he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/i-m-still-very-much-plugging-away-but-if-i-can-build-my-career-i-ll/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) ## More by Ben Howard > [I have a platinum-selling record but I can walk around fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/i-have-a-platinum-selling-record-but-i-can-walk-around-fine/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [I've always thought I crossed this really weird gap between the pop world and some slightly more left-field singer-songwriter music, but everyone's always comparing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/i-ve-always-thought-i-crossed-this-really-weird-gap-between-the-pop/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [The only thing you can worry about is pleasing yourself and that's probably more impossible than pleasing other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/the-only-thing-you-can-worry-about-is-pleasing-yourself-and-that-s/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [I got thrust a guitar by my mum as a little kid and always played it. I sort of fell in and out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/i-got-thrust-a-guitar-by-my-mum-as-a-little-kid-and-always-played-it/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [“Oh come in from the confines of your own mind my dear Because worry is all you'll find there it's clear And tomorrow will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/oh-come-in-from-the-confines-of-your-own-mind-my-dear-because-worry/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [The U.K. is pretty good at being environmentally conscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/the-u-k-is-pretty-good-at-being-environmentally-conscious/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [In England, it's usually cold. So surfing is more of an adventure where you're floating around in a big, dark, stormy sea rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/in-england-it-s-usually-cold-so-surfing-is-more-of-an-adventure-where/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [When you're playing guitar, it's the tiny little nuances that make the difference. For me, obviously, tunings is a huge one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/when-you-re-playing-guitar-it-s-the-tiny-little-nuances-that-make-the/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [Coming from the U.K., you realize how quiet England is, and as soon as you get to America, it's really big and brash and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/coming-from-the-u-k-you-realize-how-quiet-england-is-and-as-soon-as/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [“And the whole town just stood there crying, Looking at the darkness, For something wholesome and good”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/and-the-whole-town-just-stood-there-crying-looking-at-the-darkness/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [The world is a very noisy place and so I don't need to shout about things. There are so many people shouting and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/the-world-is-a-very-noisy-place-and-so-i-don-t-need-to-shout-about/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [We are taught these days that being famous is more important than actually doing something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/we-are-taught-these-days-that-being-famous-is-more-important-than/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [We'd get residencies in the local pubs. It was just an excuse to have a free tab at the bar, and then at some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/we-d-get-residencies-in-the-local-pubs-it-was-just-an-excuse-to-have/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [I met Xavier Rudd at a surf festival in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/i-met-xavier-rudd-at-a-surf-festival-in-england/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [The music you play, it's never intended for other people, so it's quite amazing dealing with stuff now, because obviously any tracks I write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/the-music-you-play-it-s-never-intended-for-other-people-so-it-s-quite/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) [Explore all 110 Ben Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) ## More Back quotes > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I honestly would like to get that Frankie fight back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/i-honestly-would-like-to-get-that-frankie-fight-back/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [Drumming's pretty physical. We sit at the back of the stage getting beat up like a workhorse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/drumming-s-pretty-physical-we-sit-at-the-back-of-the-stage-getting/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I wish that I had known back then that a mastery of process would lead to a product. Then I probably wouldn't have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/i-wish-that-i-had-known-back-then-that-a-mastery-of-process-would/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [I've always stuck my arms behind my back anyway when trying to block a shot in the penalty area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/i-ve-always-stuck-my-arms-behind-my-back-anyway-when-trying-to-block/) [Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/) > [I'm sure at some point I will get back into coaching, but right now I need to focus completely on my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/i-m-sure-at-some-point-i-will-get-back-into-coaching-but-right-now-i/) [Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/) > [Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/any-time-someone-achieves-success-before-they-ve-earned-it-it-always/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [We're all painfully aware of how suddenly violence can occur, how crippling it is, and how survivors have to find a way back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-re-all-painfully-aware-of-how-suddenly-violence-can-occur-how/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [Ronaldo is just an athlete. He works so hard and back to back; he is always there. But if you work hard, can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/ronaldo-is-just-an-athlete-he-works-so-hard-and-back-to-back-he-is/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) [Browse all 9,709 Back quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We played a lot of live shows, we just kept plugging away and playing music and people kept coming back.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Howard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-kept-plugging-away-and-playing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Back" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-kept-plugging-away-and-playing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/ben-howard-4511_back_we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-ke_1320209.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/ben-howard-4511_back_we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-ke_1320209.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/ben-howard-4511_back_we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-ke_1320209.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We played a lot of live shows, we just kept plugging away and playing music and people kept coming back.” — Ben Howard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ben Howard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We played a lot of live...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-kept-plugging-away-and-playing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/we-played-a-lot-of-live-shows-we-just-kept-plugging-away-and-playing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```