--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even before I became a recording artist…" description: "\"Even before I became a recording artist, I did other things in music. I was a teacher, I did studio work, and I was an arranger and a producer.\" — Jon ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/jon-secada-22197_art_even-before-i-became-a-recording-artist_2963354.jpg" --- # Even before I became a recording artist, I did other… ![“Even before I became a recording artist, I did other things in music. I was a teacher, I did studio work, and I was an arranger and a producer.” quote by Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/jon-secada-22197_art_even-before-i-became-a-recording-artist_2963354.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/jon-secada-22197_art_even-before-i-became-a-recording-artist_2963354.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/jon-secada-22197_art_even-before-i-became-a-recording-artist_2963354.jpg) > “Even before I became a recording artist, I did other things in music. I was a teacher, I did studio work, and I was an arranger and a producer.” [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Before fame, he built a diverse music foundation as teacher, studio worker, arranger, and producer. **In simple terms:** Multiple roles built his expertise. Key Takeaway Value varied experience. Themes career music growth Mood inspirational reflective Type career personal development When to use this quote - career planning - skill development - networking Key Concepts teaching arranging production collaboration Questions to Reflect On - How can diverse roles enrich your path? - Which skill will you develop next? A Different Perspective Specializing too early can limit growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arranger-730300/) [Arranger Producer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arranger-producer-4524306/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Producers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/producers/) [Recording Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recording-artist-322900/) [Studio Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studio-work-309473/) [Studios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studios/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teacher Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher-did-1771619/) ## Related quotes > [I have the barn, it's just kind of like a studio. Almost all artists have la studio to work in, and that's really what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-have-the-barn-it-s-just-kind-of-like-a-studio-almost-all-artists/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [I was a good novice teacher, but I did the things that were obvious. I stayed for lunch for extra tutoring, gave kids my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/i-was-a-good-novice-teacher-but-i-did-the-things-that-were-obvious-i/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“The teacher did say we can help one another. Cooperative learning it's called. That's where you borrow someone else's brain because yours isn't big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-frances-schwartz/the-teacher-did-say-we-can-help-one-another-cooperative-learning-it-s/) [Virginia Frances Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-frances-schwartz/) > [“I'm afraid the time has come to officially give up on me." "What kind of teacher would I be if I did that?" "A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-murphy/i-m-afraid-the-time-has-come-to-officially-give-up-on-me-what-kind-of/) [Nicole Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-murphy/) > [When I was a student at Mizzou, I was a daycare teacher. I did it because was a latchkey kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/when-i-was-a-student-at-mizzou-i-was-a-daycare-teacher-i-did-it/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) > [“You’re still concentrating, right?” BT asked to my retreating back. “Yes I’m still concentrating, Mrs. Weinstedder.” “What?” “Nothing, just my old algebra teacher.” “So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-tufo/you-re-still-concentrating-right-bt-asked-to-my-retreating-back-yes-i/) [Mark Tufo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-tufo/) > [Dear teacher, I did study! But I forgot everything when I saw the paper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dear-teacher-i-did-study-but-i-forgot-everything-when-i-saw-the-paper/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Student : Would you punish me teacher for some mistake that I did not do? Teacher : of course, why would I punish you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janik-seshan/student-would-you-punish-me-teacher-for-some-mistake-that-i-did-not/) [Janik Seshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janik-seshan/) > [Height of Double Meaning swimming teacher to boys Teacher- you did? boy--- yes sir! how much time u take boy---10 mniute :D Teacher-atnee dheere...teez…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-nootteep-pandey/height-of-double-meaning-swimming-teacher-to-boys-teacher-you-did-boy/) [Shubham Nootteep Pandey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-nootteep-pandey/) > [Yes, but I view Frank's music as fully composed. In other words, the arrangements can work for any idiom such as a rock band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dweezil-zappa/yes-but-i-view-frank-s-music-as-fully-composed-in-other-words-the/) [Dweezil Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dweezil-zappa/) > [Simon Hale, the British arranger, does all string and wood arrangements on my records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-sheik/simon-hale-the-british-arranger-does-all-string-and-wood-arrangements/) [Duncan Sheik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-sheik/) > [We spent a month in LA using a pool of musicians, a string arranger called Benjamin Wright, some great backing singers, and it gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kay/we-spent-a-month-in-la-using-a-pool-of-musicians-a-string-arranger/) [Jay Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kay/) > [Then, you know, the other more-traditional role of the producer in, like, the kind of Quincy Jones sense is kind of part arranger. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/then-you-know-the-other-more-traditional-role-of-the-producer-in-like/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) > [Ellington is a writer and arranger, as well as a musician and leader. He does movie sound tracks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-granz/ellington-is-a-writer-and-arranger-as-well-as-a-musician-and-leader/) [Norman Granz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-granz/) > [I work with this wonderful five-piece band, The Tony Guerrero Quintet, along with Kate Flannery, who was Meredith the Drunk in The Office, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lynch/i-work-with-this-wonderful-five-piece-band-the-tony-guerrero-quintet/) [Jane Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lynch/) ## More by Jon Secada > [I grew up in a community that was bilingual. I've done it for a while, singing in both languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/i-grew-up-in-a-community-that-was-bilingual-i-ve-done-it-for-a-while/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [This record has a lot of influences that I'd love to cover, like Marvin Gaye and Earth, Wind and Fire. Maybe I'll do some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/this-record-has-a-lot-of-influences-that-i-d-love-to-cover-like/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [And for me, it's been, not only where I learned, but the people that I met there. Most of the people that I work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/and-for-me-it-s-been-not-only-where-i-learned-but-the-people-that-i/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [A real active music set, based and really concentrated on what the music's all about. That's what I'm all about - singing and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/a-real-active-music-set-based-and-really-concentrated-on-what-the/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [And my career, the things that have happened have happened because of my music education background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/and-my-career-the-things-that-have-happened-have-happened-because-of/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [I might be a Cuban American, but I'm also an Afro-Cuban American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/i-might-be-a-cuban-american-but-i-m-also-an-afro-cuban-american/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [For me, I can only do that from my own experience with people I've known and things that I've lived and experienced. That's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/for-me-i-can-only-do-that-from-my-own-experience-with-people-i-ve/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [I write in English first, and then I translate to Spanish. I've always felt more comfortable with the English side of things first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/i-write-in-english-first-and-then-i-translate-to-spanish-i-ve-always/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [I'm a big believer in education, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/i-m-a-big-believer-in-education-period/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [With this new album, I prepared for it a long time, and I was happy with the songs and the production. I felt that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/with-this-new-album-i-prepared-for-it-a-long-time-and-i-was-happy/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [My intention when I came into this industry was to be a musician, not necessarily a recording artist, just a musician in general. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/my-intention-when-i-came-into-this-industry-was-to-be-a-musician-not/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [There's something about prime time television and the way the song is going to come off on the air. I'm very concerned, very self-conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/there-s-something-about-prime-time-television-and-the-way-the-song-is/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [I grew up speaking both languages, and for me that's really important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/i-grew-up-speaking-both-languages-and-for-me-that-s-really-important/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [If you write songs and if you write music that's very sincere and very honest, it's pop music, but it is pop music with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/if-you-write-songs-and-if-you-write-music-that-s-very-sincere-and/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) > [I was a teacher for a long time. I taught at a community college: voice, theory, humanities. And nowadays, music education is a dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-secada/i-was-a-teacher-for-a-long-time-i-taught-at-a-community-college-voice/) [Jon Secada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) [Explore all 28 Jon Secada quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-secada/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [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/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even before I became a recording artist, I did other things in music. 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