---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You basically have to play everything (in…"
description: "\"You basically have to play everything (in New Orleans), because you're getting calls to play gigs of all different styles, from classical to R&B to fun..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/harry-connick-jr-3461_different_you-basically-have-to-play-everything-in_2174668.jpg"
---

#  You basically have to play everything (in New Orleans)…

![“You basically have to play everything (in New Orleans), because you're getting calls to play gigs of all different styles, from classical to R&amp;B to funk; modern jazz to traditional jazz.” quote by Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/harry-connick-jr-3461_different_you-basically-have-to-play-everything-in_2174668.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/harry-connick-jr-3461_different_you-basically-have-to-play-everything-in_2174668.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/harry-connick-jr-3461_different_you-basically-have-to-play-everything-in_2174668.jpg)

> “You basically have to play everything (in New Orleans), because you're getting calls to play gigs of all different styles, from classical to R&amp;B to funk; modern jazz to traditional jazz.”

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A versatile musician must adapt to diverse styles, responding to varied performance requests across genres.

**In simple terms:** Musicians need to play many styles.

Key Takeaway

Embrace musical flexibility.

Themes

adaptability musical diversity career sustainability

Mood

inspired pragmatic

Type

practical career advice

When to use this quote

- session work
- touring
- studio recording
- educational workshops

Key Concepts

genre fluidity professionalism

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance depth and breadth in skill?
- What genre challenges you most?

A Different Perspective

Specializing can limit opportunities; not all musicians can master every genre.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Funk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funk/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [New orleans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-orleans/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/)

## Related quotes

> [Normally, when I write the setlist for a Dream Theater show, I'll change it up every night, and we can basically play whatever we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-portnoy/normally-when-i-write-the-setlist-for-a-dream-theater-show-i-ll/)

[Mike Portnoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-portnoy/)

> [Basically, I only play one character; I just play him at different volumes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-farley/basically-i-only-play-one-character-i-just-play-him-at-different/)

[Chris Farley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-farley/)

> [My approach in 1999 was basically to play what I had, that was all I could do. At the time I was broke. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-root/my-approach-in-1999-was-basically-to-play-what-i-had-that-was-all-i/)

[Jim Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-root/)

> [If Bill jumps into something that relies on a lot of cymbals, I'll jump into something that relies on a lot of skin sounds;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-mastelotto/if-bill-jumps-into-something-that-relies-on-a-lot-of-cymbals-i-ll/)

[Pat Mastelotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-mastelotto/)

> [All I did was basically play myself in the role of Napoleon Solo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-vaughn/all-i-did-was-basically-play-myself-in-the-role-of-napoleon-solo/)

[Robert Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-vaughn/)

> [People recognize me all the time now, and there's lots of autograph hunting and smiling. But then I get to play gigs, which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-allen/people-recognize-me-all-the-time-now-and-there-s-lots-of-autograph/)

[Lily Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-allen/)

> [What I love is when I play gigs, it's just me and a guitar - very simple, very direct and intimate, and you hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/passenger/what-i-love-is-when-i-play-gigs-it-s-just-me-and-a-guitar-very-simple/)

[Passenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/passenger/)

> [In the end when we're on stage, we push buttons, but when we're in the studio we're actually creating music that we play in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardwell/in-the-end-when-we-re-on-stage-we-push-buttons-but-when-we-re-in-the/)

[Hardwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardwell/)

> [The Vandals aren't a full-time job; we play gigs here and there. It's more of a labor of love that I do for fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-freese/the-vandals-aren-t-a-full-time-job-we-play-gigs-here-and-there-it-s/)

[Josh Freese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-freese/)

> [My ambition when I started out was to play two or three gigs a week. And that's what I'm doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/my-ambition-when-i-started-out-was-to-play-two-or-three-gigs-a-week/)

[Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/)

> [I look a lot busier than I am, as I'm actually a rather sporadic, random person and I'll play a few gigs and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/i-look-a-lot-busier-than-i-am-as-i-m-actually-a-rather-sporadic/)

[Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/)

> [I took ballet, tap, modern and jazz growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinta-brunson/i-took-ballet-tap-modern-and-jazz-growing-up/)

[Quinta Brunson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinta-brunson/)

> [I love to play gigs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katey-sagal/i-love-to-play-gigs/)

[Katey Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katey-sagal/)

> [I started off playing my own songs, just because I saw it as a means to an end almost of, 'Right, if you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-capaldi/i-started-off-playing-my-own-songs-just-because-i-saw-it-as-a-means/)

[Lewis Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-capaldi/)

> [Playing live, you can't survive, certainly not in England. We used to work daytime jobs and play gigs at night. It was very exhausting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-rossdale/playing-live-you-can-t-survive-certainly-not-in-england-we-used-to/)

[Gavin Rossdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-rossdale/)

## More by Harry Connick, Jr

> [The two are unrelated. I'm not into turtles or space stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/the-two-are-unrelated-i-m-not-into-turtles-or-space-stuff/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [ I'm a big fan of \[Frank\] Sinatra, he was the best at what he did. The last thing I do is model my career… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-m-a-big-fan-of-frank-sinatra-he-was-the-best-at-what-he-did-the/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [I practice and work hard at my music, but I'm not saving lives here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but-i-m-not-saving-lives-here/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [Many people in and out of showbiz live their lives in different ways. I try to be the best I can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/many-people-in-and-out-of-showbiz-live-their-lives-in-different-ways/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [ \[When asked how he's keeping his 12-year marriage to wife Jill fresh\] Hookers, drugs. We're playing the field right now. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/when-asked-how-he-s-keeping-his-12-year-marriage-to-wife-jill-fresh/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [If your record doesn't sell that well, man, who cares? All the satisfaction I need... comes when I step out onstage and see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/if-your-record-doesn-t-sell-that-well-man-who-cares-all-the/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [I'm sure that there are reasonable people that had some reasonable projections about the future of New Orleans, but none of those could include…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-m-sure-that-there-are-reasonable-people-that-had-some-reasonable/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [Well, I'm an optimist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/well-i-m-an-optimist/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [I do the things I like to do. It's sort of a bigger version of having more than one hobby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-do-the-things-i-like-to-do-it-s-sort-of-a-bigger-version-of-having/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [I've spent hours playing video games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-ve-spent-hours-playing-video-games/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [ \[My mother is\] a half-Chinese, half-Jamaican woman, who grew up the ninth of nine kids, getting a law degree from Harvard. Academically brilliant, but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/my-mother-is-a-half-chinese-half-jamaican-woman-who-grew-up-the-ninth/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [You have to read scripts and audition and develop relationships. It takes a long time to develop a body of work but over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/you-have-to-read-scripts-and-audition-and-develop-relationships-it/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [I love my wife and I know she loves me. We're best friends. We're just lucky to have found each other. It takes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-love-my-wife-and-i-know-she-loves-me-we-re-best-friends-we-re-just/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [Let's kick the tires and light the fires, big daddy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/let-s-kick-the-tires-and-light-the-fires-big-daddy/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

> [I say sorry to my wife about five times a day for various reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-say-sorry-to-my-wife-about-five-times-a-day-for-various-reasons/)

[Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

[Explore all 130 Harry Connick, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/)

## More Different quotes

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/)

[Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/)

> [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/)

[Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/)

> [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/)

[Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/)

> [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/)

[David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/)

> [One of the reasons that I do a lot of different kinds of pictures is because I learn a lot when I'm doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-do-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of-pictures-is/)

[Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/)

> [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/)

[Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/)

> [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/)

[Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/)

[Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/)

> [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/)

[Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/)

> [I always aspired to do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayushmann-khurrana/i-always-aspired-to-do-something-different/)

[Ayushmann Khurrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayushmann-khurrana/)

> [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/)

[Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/)

> [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/)

[Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/)

Browse all 28,697 Different quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You basically have to play everything (in New Orleans), because you're getting calls to play gigs of all different styles, from classical to R&B to funk; modern jazz to traditional jazz.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Harry Connick, Jr"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/you-basically-have-to-play-everything-in-new-orleans-because-you-re/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Different"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/you-basically-have-to-play-everything-in-new-orleans-because-you-re/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/harry-connick-jr-3461_different_you-basically-have-to-play-everything-in_2174668.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/harry-connick-jr-3461_different_you-basically-have-to-play-everything-in_2174668.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/harry-connick-jr-3461_different_you-basically-have-to-play-everything-in_2174668.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You basically have to play everything (in New Orleans), because you're getting calls to play gigs of all…” — Harry Connick, Jr",
                "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": "Harry Connick, Jr",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You basically have to play everything...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/you-basically-have-to-play-everything-in-new-orleans-because-you-re/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/you-basically-have-to-play-everything-in-new-orleans-because-you-re/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
