--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I couldn't do what I do without the…" description: "\"I couldn't do what I do without the encouragement and influence of the musicians I played with in Chicago.\" — Kurt Elling" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/206/kurt-elling-6944_encouragement_i-couldn-t-do-what-i-do-without-the-enco_575074.jpg" --- # I couldn't do what I do without the encouragement and… ![“I couldn't do what I do without the encouragement and influence of the musicians I played with in Chicago.” quote by Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/206/kurt-elling-6944_encouragement_i-couldn-t-do-what-i-do-without-the-enco_575074.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/206/kurt-elling-6944_encouragement_i-couldn-t-do-what-i-do-without-the-enco_575074.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/206/kurt-elling-6944_encouragement_i-couldn-t-do-what-i-do-without-the-enco_575074.jpg) > “I couldn't do what I do without the encouragement and influence of the musicians I played with in Chicago.” [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collaboration and peer influence are essential for artistic growth and performance excellence. **In simple terms:** Artists thrive on mutual support. Key Takeaway Seek mentorship and community in your craft. Themes collaboration creativity musical development Mood reflective inspirational Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - band rehearsals - studio recordings - live performances Key Concepts peer influence artistic mentorship networking Questions to Reflect On - How does community shape your artistic identity? - What balance between influence and originality is healthy? A Different Perspective Relying heavily on others may limit personal artistic voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Couldn Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-encouragement-4738630/) [Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Influence Musicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence-musicians-4246618/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicians/) [Musicians Played](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicians-played-726276/) [Played Chicago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-chicago-1930823/) ## Related quotes > [Musicians can look forward to playing with the best musicians that ever played. They can even have their own band!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berg/musicians-can-look-forward-to-playing-with-the-best-musicians-that/) [David Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berg/) > [ The amazing thing about Sweets \[Edison\] was that he exactly spoke the way that he played! He was really unique, the one and only.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-brown/the-amazing-thing-about-sweets-edison-was-that-he-exactly-spoke-the/) [Ray Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-brown/) > [I was afraid the other musicians might want to present themselves too much, though I see in the coverage I've received of the album…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eberhard-weber/i-was-afraid-the-other-musicians-might-want-to-present-themselves-too/) [Eberhard Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eberhard-weber/) > [I think my first impression (of Bix Beiderbecke) was the lasting one. I remember very clearly thinking, 'Where, what planet, did this guy come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/i-think-my-first-impression-of-bix-beiderbecke-was-the-lasting-one-i/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [I know of musicians who have played together for decades who hate each other. The Modern Jazz Quartet for one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-burton/i-know-of-musicians-who-have-played-together-for-decades-who-hate/) [Gary Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-burton/) > [Growing up, I was always around adult musicians who played for their entire lives. So that's what I wanted to do, and I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/growing-up-i-was-always-around-adult-musicians-who-played-for-their/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [My grandmother was from Guelph, Ont. I grew up playing ice hockey, I'm a massive fan. A great-uncle who was in the early days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-winslow/my-grandmother-was-from-guelph-ont-i-grew-up-playing-ice-hockey-i-m-a/) [Don Winslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-winslow/) > [I think there are a lot of crazy guys that I've played with in the past. Wayne VanDorp, when I played in Chicago. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-roenick/i-think-there-are-a-lot-of-crazy-guys-that-i-ve-played-with-in-the/) [Jeremy Roenick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-roenick/) > [“Today you go into make a modern recording with all this technology. The bass plays first, then the drums come in later, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/today-you-go-into-make-a-modern-recording-with-all-this-technology/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [I actually played in Chicago with DK Metcalf's father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-olsen/i-actually-played-in-chicago-with-dk-metcalf-s-father/) [Greg Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-olsen/) > [My character started off on 'Chicago P.D.' as the brother to Detective Jake Halstead, and then I also played on 'Chicago Fire.' So, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gehlfuss/my-character-started-off-on-chicago-p-d-as-the-brother-to-detective/) [Nick Gehlfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gehlfuss/) > [I'd been studying philosophy at the University of Chicago. I hadn't been doing well, because I was sitting in with jazz musicians at night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/i-d-been-studying-philosophy-at-the-university-of-chicago-i-hadn-t/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [Grammy nominations are certainly pleasant, but you can forget about them and lead a perfectly happy life - provided you have the approval of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/grammy-nominations-are-certainly-pleasant-but-you-can-forget-about/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [The first record I made, when I listen to it, I understand. I understand perfectly well why certain musicians were unhappy with me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-taylor/the-first-record-i-made-when-i-listen-to-it-i-understand-i-understand/) [Cecil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-taylor/) ## More by Kurt Elling > [Man, I just feel so fortunate to be a jazz musician at all. I have a hard time thinking of it any other way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/man-i-just-feel-so-fortunate-to-be-a-jazz-musician-at-all-i-have-a/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [You can start from any source material, and you can approach it with a jazz ear, and then it will become a jazz moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/you-can-start-from-any-source-material-and-you-can-approach-it-with-a/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [I don't really have a more intellectualized approach. After the fact, I can sure talk about stuff a lot - but when I make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/i-don-t-really-have-a-more-intellectualized-approach-after-the-fact-i/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [I think my intention was there, and my love for the music was apparent. And there are very few singers who get up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/i-think-my-intention-was-there-and-my-love-for-the-music-was-apparent/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [I've worked with a number of big bands, but there's nothing in life like the Basie band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/i-ve-worked-with-a-number-of-big-bands-but-there-s-nothing-in-life/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [A lot of the commercial world wants to bank in on the cachet that jazz brings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/a-lot-of-the-commercial-world-wants-to-bank-in-on-the-cachet-that/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [The great jazz and jazz-influenced singers carry themselves with a certain panache and a certain elegance and, for lack of a better word, self-confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/the-great-jazz-and-jazz-influenced-singers-carry-themselves-with-a/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [You work very hard on the lyrics. Getting them to fit the contours of improvised melodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/you-work-very-hard-on-the-lyrics-getting-them-to-fit-the-contours-of/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [There's a wide spectrum of possibilities in how to deliver a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/there-s-a-wide-spectrum-of-possibilities-in-how-to-deliver-a-song/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [A lot of people are put off by the idea of scat singing. Either that or it's something to be made fun of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/a-lot-of-people-are-put-off-by-the-idea-of-scat-singing-either-that/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [As improvisers, we're acting as composers in front of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/as-improvisers-we-re-acting-as-composers-in-front-of-people/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [You want to be doing your best work whatever field of the arts you're in because your life's going to be over all too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/you-want-to-be-doing-your-best-work-whatever-field-of-the-arts-you-re/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [Why limit yourself to one discipline or field of study?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/why-limit-yourself-to-one-discipline-or-field-of-study/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [Sometimes, with vocalese, I'm dealing with something, a great solo from the past, which is so iconic I can't presume to change it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/sometimes-with-vocalese-i-m-dealing-with-something-a-great-solo-from/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) > [I'm a guy who has more slapstick than Joe Cool moments in his day, so I'm not taking myself so seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/i-m-a-guy-who-has-more-slapstick-than-joe-cool-moments-in-his-day-so/) [Kurt Elling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) [Explore all 96 Kurt Elling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/) ## More Encouragement quotes > [Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/change-your-attitude-and-gain-some-altitude-believe-me-you-ll-love-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Today if anything is trying to hold you back, give no attention to it. Get your hopes up, get your faith up, look up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/today-if-anything-is-trying-to-hold-you-back-give-no-attention-to-it/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Great people are not people who have never fallen down. Greatness has to do with how you get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/great-people-are-not-people-who-have-never-fallen-down-greatness-has/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [If You want to be Awesome, You have to kick all the negative and boring people out of your life and arm yourself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajdeep-sarkar/if-you-want-to-be-awesome-you-have-to-kick-all-the-negative-and/) [Rajdeep Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajdeep-sarkar/) > [It isn't bad judgment to make a man believe he is something. He is by nature inclined to it, and a little encouragement is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-langley-bosher/it-isn-t-bad-judgment-to-make-a-man-believe-he-is-something-he-is-by/) [Kate Langley Bosher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-langley-bosher/) > [God's plans are never beyond your reach, sometimes you just have to move closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lee-riner/god-s-plans-are-never-beyond-your-reach-sometimes-you-just-have-to/) [Justin Lee Riner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lee-riner/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“What would you think if I told you that, yes, your bad choices and decisions have had a part in your ending up under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/what-would-you-think-if-i-told-you-that-yes-your-bad-choices-and/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [“I have learned that positive encouragement and positive advice is limited to the believers not the masses”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-edgar-alamo/i-have-learned-that-positive-encouragement-and-positive-advice-is/) [Herbert Edgar Alamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-edgar-alamo/) > [“Intercourse is one thing, Intimacy is everything. Be encouraged”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-e-wagner/intercourse-is-one-thing-intimacy-is-everything-be-encouraged/) [Kerry E. Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-e-wagner/) > [“Don’t be afraid of your struggles, they are making you dangerously strong and wise. They are preparing you for your superpowers. Let them happen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-lee/don-t-be-afraid-of-your-struggles-they-are-making-you-dangerously/) [Melody Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-lee/) > [I really want people to know that I've worked hard, very hard, to get to where I am today.. this didn't just happen overnight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/i-really-want-people-to-know-that-i-ve-worked-hard-very-hard-to-get/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [If people are kicking you in the behind, at least you're in front of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/if-people-are-kicking-you-in-the-behind-at-least-you-re-in-front-of/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Our words are very powerful, always make sure that you use the right words, which encourages people instead of discouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/our-words-are-very-powerful-always-make-sure-that-you-use-the-right/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [When we start focusing on things we can do and don't think so much about the things we can't do, things really start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/when-we-start-focusing-on-things-we-can-do-and-don-t-think-so-much/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) [Browse all 2,407 Encouragement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I couldn't do what I do without the encouragement and influence of the musicians I played with in Chicago.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kurt Elling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/i-couldn-t-do-what-i-do-without-the-encouragement-and-influence-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Encouragement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/i-couldn-t-do-what-i-do-without-the-encouragement-and-influence-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/206/kurt-elling-6944_encouragement_i-couldn-t-do-what-i-do-without-the-enco_575074.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/206/kurt-elling-6944_encouragement_i-couldn-t-do-what-i-do-without-the-enco_575074.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/206/kurt-elling-6944_encouragement_i-couldn-t-do-what-i-do-without-the-enco_575074.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I couldn't do what I do without the encouragement and influence of the musicians I played with in Chicago.” — Kurt Elling", "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": "Kurt Elling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-elling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I couldn't do what I do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/i-couldn-t-do-what-i-do-without-the-encouragement-and-influence-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-elling/i-couldn-t-do-what-i-do-without-the-encouragement-and-influence-of/#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 } } ] } ```