--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Chicago was a big influence on all three…" description: "\"Chicago was a big influence on all three of us growing up. I admire their musical integrity. When the opportunity came up to produce them, I couldn't l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8af/jay-demarcus-6808_big-influence_chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three_537321.jpg" --- # Chicago was a big influence on all three of us growing up… ![“Chicago was a big influence on all three of us growing up. I admire their musical integrity. When the opportunity came up to produce them, I couldn't let it go by.” quote by Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8af/jay-demarcus-6808_big-influence_chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three_537321.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8af/jay-demarcus-6808_big-influence_chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three_537321.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8af/jay-demarcus-6808_big-influence_chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three_537321.jpg) > “Chicago was a big influence on all three of us growing up. I admire their musical integrity. When the opportunity came up to produce them, I couldn't let it go by.” [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He credits Chicago's influence on his musical development and seizes production chance. **In simple terms:** Chicago shaped his music; he pursued production. Key Takeaway Seek inspiration and act on opportunities. Themes influence music production Mood enthusiastic respectful Type motivational insightful When to use this quote - studio work - live performances - career decisions Key Concepts musical integrity collaboration industry dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to produce artists you admire? - How does musical integrity guide choices? A Different Perspective May overlook other influences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chicago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chicago/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) ## Related quotes > [Chicago seems a big city instead of merely a large place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-liebling/chicago-seems-a-big-city-instead-of-merely-a-large-place/) [A. J. Liebling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-liebling/) > [Sinatra is the essence of vocal style. This man has an innate quality of knowing what is good musically. You can sum that up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-davis-jr/sinatra-is-the-essence-of-vocal-style-this-man-has-an-innate-quality/) [Sammy Davis, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-davis-jr/) > [The most important thing is that you honor that musical integrity, whether you make music that sounds like ABBA or you make music that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/the-most-important-thing-is-that-you-honor-that-musical-integrity/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [Musical integrity means a lot to me, personally for myself, I don't really care if other people can't even sing or whatever. For myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-rocket-summer/musical-integrity-means-a-lot-to-me-personally-for-myself-i-don-t/) [The Rocket Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-rocket-summer/) > [Chicago was big for me as far as developing as a person and as a basketball player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-manning/chicago-was-big-for-me-as-far-as-developing-as-a-person-and-as-a/) [Eli Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-manning/) > [I love Chicago. I have big investments in Chicago, and I think it's a great city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-love-chicago-i-have-big-investments-in-chicago-and-i-think-it-s-a/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [What I really like is that Chicago is a big city: it has a large market, and you are exposed to everything, like shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-rose/what-i-really-like-is-that-chicago-is-a-big-city-it-has-a-large/) [Jalen Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-rose/) > [Chicago is fun. We've spent a lot of time there, about 15 years. My wife's parents and family live in Chicago, so that's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-donald/chicago-is-fun-we-ve-spent-a-lot-of-time-there-about-15-years-my-wife/) [Luke Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-donald/) > [The big influence on me was Robert Altman, who, especially in 'Nashville,' transformed my sense of dramatic structure and showed how you could handle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/the-big-influence-on-me-was-robert-altman-who-especially-in-nashville/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [I look at Large Professor as a big influence. I grew up with him and being able to grow up with him enabled me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mic-geronimo/i-look-at-large-professor-as-a-big-influence-i-grew-up-with-him-and/) [Mic Geronimo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mic-geronimo/) > [My grandfather was a big influence on me, but I lost him when I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-morgan/my-grandfather-was-a-big-influence-on-me-but-i-lost-him-when-i-was-a/) [Rob Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-morgan/) > [ \[Akiro\] Kurosawa, no doubt, was a big influence. Movies sometimes more than directors have influenced me: The Grapes of Wrath, by John Ford, was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/costa-gavras/akiro-kurosawa-no-doubt-was-a-big-influence-movies-sometimes-more/) [Costa-Gavras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/costa-gavras/) > [Assault On Precinct 13' was amazing - a big influence. 'Escape From New York' as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-evans/assault-on-precinct-13-was-amazing-a-big-influence-escape-from-new/) [Gareth Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-evans/) > [I was a youngster looking up to dudes like Vicky McClure, Joe Dempsie and Michael Socha - in fact, he was a big influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-o-connell/i-was-a-youngster-looking-up-to-dudes-like-vicky-mcclure-joe-dempsie/) [Jack O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-o-connell/) > [A guy called Arthur Brown... was a big influence of mine... and also Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/a-guy-called-arthur-brown-was-a-big-influence-of-mine-and-also-ian/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) ## More by Jay DeMarcus > [That's what Joe Don Rooney and I do. He plays guitar and I play bass - and there's no reason to call it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/that-s-what-joe-don-rooney-and-i-do-he-plays-guitar-and-i-play-bass/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [We started out as a bar band. We were sometimes playing in front of 20 people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/we-started-out-as-a-bar-band-we-were-sometimes-playing-in-front-of-20/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [Some of my biggest commercial musical influences would be people like Merle Haggard, George Jones, of course, Johnny Cash. People that wrote and sang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/some-of-my-biggest-commercial-musical-influences-would-be-people-like/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [My beliefs and my faith are part of who I am, and I'm so grateful that I had the foundation laid early on. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/my-beliefs-and-my-faith-are-part-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-so-grateful-that/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [It was such a whirlwind for us for about three to four years there that, every time we turned around, we were pulled in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/it-was-such-a-whirlwind-for-us-for-about-three-to-four-years-there/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I've been really, really fortunate to have a mother that has spent many, many long hours on her knees praying for me. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/i-ve-been-really-really-fortunate-to-have-a-mother-that-has-spent/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [We've always prided ourselves on putting together a great live show. That's something that means a lot to us because our bread and butter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/we-ve-always-prided-ourselves-on-putting-together-a-great-live-show/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I remember as a little kid watching the Opry from the nosebleeds, so to stand onstage and be invited to be a member was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/i-remember-as-a-little-kid-watching-the-opry-from-the-nosebleeds-so/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [Constantly writing with new people is important. Also, listening to new music that's popular and that's making a splash - that's how I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/constantly-writing-with-new-people-is-important-also-listening-to-new/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I was raised in church, and we let our kids know who Jesus is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/i-was-raised-in-church-and-we-let-our-kids-know-who-jesus-is/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I remember when 'I'm Moving On' came out, and we got the response we did, I thought, 'Man, this could be for real.' That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/i-remember-when-i-m-moving-on-came-out-and-we-got-the-response-we-did/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I was an '80s child, so I grew up loving all kinds of '80s rock. I like R&B, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/i-was-an-80s-child-so-i-grew-up-loving-all-kinds-of-80s-rock-i-like-r/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [It would be nice sometimes to take a longer break in between projects, but unfortunately, the way that the business is, there's such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/it-would-be-nice-sometimes-to-take-a-longer-break-in-between-projects/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [That's what we all hope and dream to do, when we stand in front of the mirror with our Goody comb and sing into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/that-s-what-we-all-hope-and-dream-to-do-when-we-stand-in-front-of-the/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [People are always surprised to find this out, but the songs that we write, such as 'Winner of a Losing Game' and things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/people-are-always-surprised-to-find-this-out-but-the-songs-that-we/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) [Explore all 97 Jay DeMarcus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) ## More Big influence quotes > [A guy called Arthur Brown... was a big influence of mine... and also Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/a-guy-called-arthur-brown-was-a-big-influence-of-mine-and-also-ian/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [The big influence on me was Robert Altman, who, especially in 'Nashville,' transformed my sense of dramatic structure and showed how you could handle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/the-big-influence-on-me-was-robert-altman-who-especially-in-nashville/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [My grandfather was a big influence on me, but I lost him when I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-morgan/my-grandfather-was-a-big-influence-on-me-but-i-lost-him-when-i-was-a/) [Rob Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-morgan/) > [ \[Akiro\] Kurosawa, no doubt, was a big influence. Movies sometimes more than directors have influenced me: The Grapes of Wrath, by John Ford, was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/costa-gavras/akiro-kurosawa-no-doubt-was-a-big-influence-movies-sometimes-more/) [Costa-Gavras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/costa-gavras/) > [I look at Large Professor as a big influence. I grew up with him and being able to grow up with him enabled me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mic-geronimo/i-look-at-large-professor-as-a-big-influence-i-grew-up-with-him-and/) [Mic Geronimo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mic-geronimo/) > [I was a youngster looking up to dudes like Vicky McClure, Joe Dempsie and Michael Socha - in fact, he was a big influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-o-connell/i-was-a-youngster-looking-up-to-dudes-like-vicky-mcclure-joe-dempsie/) [Jack O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-o-connell/) > [Assault On Precinct 13' was amazing - a big influence. 'Escape From New York' as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-evans/assault-on-precinct-13-was-amazing-a-big-influence-escape-from-new/) [Gareth Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-evans/) > [I've always been the first to admit that Jimi was a very big influence on my early stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-trower/i-ve-always-been-the-first-to-admit-that-jimi-was-a-very-big/) [Robin Trower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-trower/) > [I had a very thorough grounding in music; I'd grown up around songs. My parents listened to a lot of music. My dad was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mvula/i-had-a-very-thorough-grounding-in-music-i-d-grown-up-around-songs-my/) [Laura Mvula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mvula/) > [Ken Griffey changed the game, but he also represented pop culture and the youth - how he wore his hat backwards, how he swung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-wilson/ken-griffey-changed-the-game-but-he-also-represented-pop-culture-and/) [Russell Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-wilson/) > [As a writer, Chris Columbus was a big influence. 'The Goonies' was the first movie I ever saw that kids speak normally and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-green/as-a-writer-chris-columbus-was-a-big-influence-the-goonies-was-the/) [Adam Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-green/) > [Yeah, Kubrick's a big influence. In something like 'A Clockwork Orange,' he is trying to use the practical light - I mean, at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/yeah-kubrick-s-a-big-influence-in-something-like-a-clockwork-orange/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [Music is a big influence in my work and sometimes drives the energy of where I want to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemon-andersen/music-is-a-big-influence-in-my-work-and-sometimes-drives-the-energy/) [Lemon Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemon-andersen/) > [Yeah, sci-fi is definitely a big influence on Fear Factory. I've had people tell me we always sing about the same thing but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dino-cazares/yeah-sci-fi-is-definitely-a-big-influence-on-fear-factory-i-ve-had/) [Dino Cazares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dino-cazares/) > [One of the great bands we opened up for was Priest back in '89. That was really great because at that time we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-lombardo/one-of-the-great-bands-we-opened-up-for-was-priest-back-in-89-that/) [Dave Lombardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-lombardo/) Browse all 86 Big influence quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Chicago was a big influence on all three of us growing up. I admire their musical integrity. When the opportunity came up to produce them, I couldn't let it go by.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jay DeMarcus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three-of-us-growing-up-i-admire/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big influence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three-of-us-growing-up-i-admire/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8af/jay-demarcus-6808_big-influence_chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three_537321.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8af/jay-demarcus-6808_big-influence_chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three_537321.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8af/jay-demarcus-6808_big-influence_chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three_537321.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Chicago was a big influence on all three of us growing up. I admire their musical integrity. When the…” — Jay DeMarcus", "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": "Jay DeMarcus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Chicago was a big influence on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three-of-us-growing-up-i-admire/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/chicago-was-a-big-influence-on-all-three-of-us-growing-up-i-admire/#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 } } ] } ```