--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A lotta years I was out there on the road…" description: "\"A lotta years I was out there on the road pulling one-nighters. Then I got hired to sing in Sam Donahue's band in 1963. I was 19 years old.\" — Frank Si..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/632/frank-sinatra-jr-5470_band_a-lotta-years-i-was-out-there-on-the-roa_1601775.jpg" --- # A lotta years I was out there on the road pulling… ![“A lotta years I was out there on the road pulling one-nighters. Then I got hired to sing in Sam Donahue's band in 1963. I was 19 years old.” quote by Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/632/frank-sinatra-jr-5470_band_a-lotta-years-i-was-out-there-on-the-roa_1601775.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/632/frank-sinatra-jr-5470_band_a-lotta-years-i-was-out-there-on-the-roa_1601775.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/632/frank-sinatra-jr-5470_band_a-lotta-years-i-was-out-there-on-the-roa_1601775.jpg) > “A lotta years I was out there on the road pulling one-nighters. Then I got hired to sing in Sam Donahue's band in 1963. I was 19 years old.” [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early career hardships led to a breakthrough opportunity in a notable band. **In simple terms:** Hard work leads to big breaks. Key Takeaway Persevere through setbacks. Themes career music opportunity Mood reflective hopeful Type career music When to use this quote - night shifts - band auditions - career pivot Key Concepts perseverance breakthrough Questions to Reflect On - What risks are you willing to take for a dream? - How do you handle rejection? A Different Perspective Success may depend on timing, not just effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [19 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/19-years/) [Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) [Band 1963](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band-1963-6092445/) [Lotta Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lotta-years-6092446/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road/) [Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sing/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Years Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-old/) [Years Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-road-1068471/) ## Related quotes > [At 19 years old, when I came out of St. John's, I was fresh out the 'hood. I was fresh out of Queensbridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/at-19-years-old-when-i-came-out-of-st-john-s-i-was-fresh-out-the-hood/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [I never learned anything at all in school and didn't read a book for pleasure until I was 19 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/i-never-learned-anything-at-all-in-school-and-didn-t-read-a-book-for/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [I completed my first novel when I was 19 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-steel/i-completed-my-first-novel-when-i-was-19-years-old/) [Danielle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-steel/) > [I was signed when I was 19 years old, in 1980. I went to Germany and France. Seeing the world at that time was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurtis-blow/i-was-signed-when-i-was-19-years-old-in-1980-i-went-to-germany-and/) [Kurtis Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurtis-blow/) > [EDM is here to stay. If you're 19 years old, this is your rock 'n' roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rapino/edm-is-here-to-stay-if-you-re-19-years-old-this-is-your-rock-n-roll/) [Michael Rapino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rapino/) > [What was I like in 1966? I was 19 years old, very confident, and life was a big adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-quick/what-was-i-like-in-1966-i-was-19-years-old-very-confident-and-life/) [Diana Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-quick/) > [I was very depressed after breaking off my engagement with Johnny ten years ago. I was embarrassingly dramatic at the time, but you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-was-very-depressed-after-breaking-off-my-engagement-with-johnny-ten/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [When I look back at 19, coming here to Chicago, some of the things that were said, some of the stuff that you deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/when-i-look-back-at-19-coming-here-to-chicago-some-of-the-things-that/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I was 19 years old, pumping gas and going nowhere. I was kind of a high school dropout at that point because I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/i-was-19-years-old-pumping-gas-and-going-nowhere-i-was-kind-of-a-high/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) > [I don't like to think 10 years down the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-don-t-like-to-think-10-years-down-the-road/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I spent 15 years on the road between touring and recording and I never saw anything. I want to enjoy life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/i-spent-15-years-on-the-road-between-touring-and-recording-and-i/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [I don't think you'll understand the true repercussions of what the 500 does for you until years down the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-rice/i-don-t-think-you-ll-understand-the-true-repercussions-of-what-the/) [Buddy Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-rice/) > [When you're thinking about the rest of your life, you're never really thinking more than a couple years down the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/when-you-re-thinking-about-the-rest-of-your-life-you-re-never-really/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I toured around for years, but the road was always a drag for me. I never made a dime. In fact, I lost a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/i-toured-around-for-years-but-the-road-was-always-a-drag-for-me-i/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [I also wanted to make a record that was about other things than romance, yeah, after two years on the road singing all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-sheik/i-also-wanted-to-make-a-record-that-was-about-other-things-than/) [Duncan Sheik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-sheik/) ## More by Frank Sinatra Jr > [Very few people rise that high, to be a performer known as only one name. Caruso... Valentino... Hitchcock... Garbo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/very-few-people-rise-that-high-to-be-a-performer-known-as-only-one/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [I just try to fit into society the best I can. Be unobtrusive, be smooth. I don't want to hurt anybody, or be hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/i-just-try-to-fit-into-society-the-best-i-can-be-unobtrusive-be/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [I always loved the motion picture scores and the great film composers like Elmer Bernstein.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/i-always-loved-the-motion-picture-scores-and-the-great-film-composers/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [I believe that when you keep yourself working, you keep yourself alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/i-believe-that-when-you-keep-yourself-working-you-keep-yourself-alive/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [By the end of Pop's life I wanted to give something back and when I came on board as his musical director he needed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/by-the-end-of-pop-s-life-i-wanted-to-give-something-back-and-when-i/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [I'm an individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/i-m-an-individual/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [Growing up in California, my best friend was Morris Rabinowitz and we often went to the Yiddish Theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/growing-up-in-california-my-best-friend-was-morris-rabinowitz-and-we/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [My father was the kind of man who liked to hang out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/my-father-was-the-kind-of-man-who-liked-to-hang-out/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [Before the State of Israel became a reality, Sinatra was a strong supporter, knowing that Jews were being denied access to the Holy Land.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/before-the-state-of-israel-became-a-reality-sinatra-was-a-strong/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [The recording companies are continuing to look at ways to buy short and sell long. So now they give recording deals to groups of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/the-recording-companies-are-continuing-to-look-at-ways-to-buy-short/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [In my own career, I used to do a Sinatra medley in every show, or at least sing one of his songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/in-my-own-career-i-used-to-do-a-sinatra-medley-in-every-show-or-at/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [There's only one Sinatra. But don't forget that there's only one Sinatra Jr., too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/there-s-only-one-sinatra-but-don-t-forget-that-there-s-only-one/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [I'd love to have my own T V. series so I could stay put for awhile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/i-d-love-to-have-my-own-t-v-series-so-i-could-stay-put-for-awhile/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [They used to have a saying among the musicians on staff when I was with him, 'Sinatra never does anything the same way once.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/they-used-to-have-a-saying-among-the-musicians-on-staff-when-i-was/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) > [Rap is the pulsation given by some, usually an electronic rhythm section, without any tonality, and you have someone reading high-school poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/rap-is-the-pulsation-given-by-some-usually-an-electronic-rhythm/) [Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) [Explore all 100 Frank Sinatra Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/) ## More Band quotes > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [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/) > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [I think my music has always been a mixture, depending on whom I'm working with - what band, what musicians, what producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-my-music-has-always-been-a-mixture-depending-on-whom-i-m/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [There is more to me than just having been in the Runaways. And even though I'm really, really proud of what the band accomplished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-fuchs/there-is-more-to-me-than-just-having-been-in-the-runaways-and-even/) [Jackie Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-fuchs/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I just became accustomed to being all the members of the band. That was something that was really exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-collier/i-just-became-accustomed-to-being-all-the-members-of-the-band-that/) [Jacob Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-collier/) > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I'm about as privileged as you can get. I'm a white, male, heterosexual front man of a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/i-m-about-as-privileged-as-you-can-get-i-m-a-white-male-heterosexual/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [I'd been playing in bands for something like seven years at this point. 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