--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never really had any grand aspirations…" description: "\"I never really had any grand aspirations of mainstream country success because I know what that entails, and I'd probably be too much trouble for peopl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/sturgill-simpson-8888_country_i-never-really-had-any-grand-aspirations_1222530.jpg" --- # I never really had any grand aspirations of mainstream… ![“I never really had any grand aspirations of mainstream country success because I know what that entails, and I'd probably be too much trouble for people to work with. If I can just reach the point where I can get 200 or 300 people in small clubs and I'm carving out enough money to pay my bills…” quote by Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/sturgill-simpson-8888_country_i-never-really-had-any-grand-aspirations_1222530.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/sturgill-simpson-8888_country_i-never-really-had-any-grand-aspirations_1222530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/sturgill-simpson-8888_country_i-never-really-had-any-grand-aspirations_1222530.jpg) > “I never really had any grand aspirations of mainstream country success because I know what that entails, and I'd probably be too much trouble for people to work with. If I can just reach the point where I can get 200 or 300 people in small clubs and I'm carving out enough money to pay my bills, then I'm the happiest guy I know.” [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He values modest, sustainable success over mainstream fame, preferring small, loyal audiences and financial independence. **In simple terms:** He prefers small, steady success over big fame. Key Takeaway Focus on sustainable, personal goals. Themes contentment independence authenticity Mood satisfied reflective Type personal career When to use this quote - touring small venues - budget planning - building a loyal fanbase - maintaining creative control Key Concepts DIY ethic financial autonomy artist‑audience relationship Questions to Reflect On - What defines success for you personally? - How do you balance artistic integrity with financial needs? A Different Perspective May limit broader exposure and larger earnings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aspirations Mainstream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspirations-mainstream-3749271/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-success-1623322/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Grand Aspirations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grand-aspirations-3749272/) [Mainstream Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mainstream-country-1515564/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Small Clubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-clubs-731230/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I grew up idolizing Spanish basketball, and to be a part of another chapter of our country's success was really special to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-rubio/i-grew-up-idolizing-spanish-basketball-and-to-be-a-part-of-another/) [Ricky Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-rubio/) > [What sort of love is this love that we have for countries? What sort of country is it that will ever live up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/what-sort-of-love-is-this-love-that-we-have-for-countries-what-sort/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Some credit is due to Trump for seizing the anti establishment mood of the country, but most of his success can be attributed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/some-credit-is-due-to-trump-for-seizing-the-anti-establishment-mood/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [In America, as opposed to the old country, success was based on merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/in-america-as-opposed-to-the-old-country-success-was-based-on-merit/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [When I was doing mainstream country, there was no way that an executive was going to ask you to do a gospel album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-milsap/when-i-was-doing-mainstream-country-there-was-no-way-that-an/) [Ronnie Milsap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-milsap/) > [A lot of people like mainstream country because they're not given another option of country music to like that's modern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-price/a-lot-of-people-like-mainstream-country-because-they-re-not-given/) [Margo Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-price/) > [I don't look at it as mainstream country versus outsider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-stapleton/i-don-t-look-at-it-as-mainstream-country-versus-outsider/) [Chris Stapleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-stapleton/) > [I don't care what's happening in the mainstream of country music. I haven't in a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/i-don-t-care-what-s-happening-in-the-mainstream-of-country-music-i/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [My taste is very '70s, like Garfunkel and James Taylor, so not too far from country, but not really the mainstream country that's on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-palladio/my-taste-is-very-70s-like-garfunkel-and-james-taylor-so-not-too-far/) [Sam Palladio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-palladio/) > [I'm not a mainstream country artist, and I never will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lari-white/i-m-not-a-mainstream-country-artist-and-i-never-will-be/) [Lari White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lari-white/) > [I started growing my audience in small clubs through word-of-mouth. I started making music that isn't necessarily commercially viable, and it's not necessarily marketable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-edmonson/i-started-growing-my-audience-in-small-clubs-through-word-of-mouth-i/) [Kat Edmonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-edmonson/) > [In the very beginning, we went on tours with Rammstein in really small clubs. We didn't even have a record out. We played in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/in-the-very-beginning-we-went-on-tours-with-rammstein-in-really-small/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [One of the benefits of playing to small audiences in small clubs for a few years is that you're allowed to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/one-of-the-benefits-of-playing-to-small-audiences-in-small-clubs-for/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I like to play small clubs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/i-like-to-play-small-clubs/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [We're playing small clubs and doing it all in a van. I have management, and they've done a good job of getting our tour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-wilson/we-re-playing-small-clubs-and-doing-it-all-in-a-van-i-have-management/) [Cindy Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-wilson/) ## More by Sturgill Simpson > [London's been really good to me - England as a whole - but the Scots and the Irish especially are very appreciative because that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/london-s-been-really-good-to-me-england-as-a-whole-but-the-scots-and/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I had a great job with the railroad, a good salary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-had-a-great-job-with-the-railroad-a-good-salary/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I knew I loved playing bluegrass, so I'd end up down there on Sunday nights at the bluegrass jam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-knew-i-loved-playing-bluegrass-so-i-d-end-up-down-there-on-sunday/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I've been reading about the idea of cyclical lives - it matches up to the idea of string theory and a multiverse. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-ve-been-reading-about-the-idea-of-cyclical-lives-it-matches-up-to/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [It's hard enough to sit at a table and talk to most people as it is. But we can go to some town, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/it-s-hard-enough-to-sit-at-a-table-and-talk-to-most-people-as-it-is/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I needed a writing space to get out of my house with the little guy. Because any time I try to write or sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-needed-a-writing-space-to-get-out-of-my-house-with-the-little-guy/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I don't pretend to be an astrophysicist or anything, even though I do read about certain things like metaphysics and cosmology that I've always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-don-t-pretend-to-be-an-astrophysicist-or-anything-even-though-i-do/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I didn't graduate from college, so I might as well be on Atlantic Records, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-didn-t-graduate-from-college-so-i-might-as-well-be-on-atlantic/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [Everybody is on drugs . . . just give 'em what they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/everybody-is-on-drugs-just-give-em-what-they-want/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I just have to do what it is going to make me happy, first and foremost - what is honest and what is sincere.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-just-have-to-do-what-it-is-going-to-make-me-happy-first-and/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I'll never get tired of being told I sound like Waylon Jennings, but I don't hear it myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-ll-never-get-tired-of-being-told-i-sound-like-waylon-jennings-but-i/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I someday hope to find the time and coin to invest more of my creative energy towards the visual media side of releasing music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-someday-hope-to-find-the-time-and-coin-to-invest-more-of-my/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I believe framing reality is one of the only ways we can ever be sure it actually exists. In that regard, I feel as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-believe-framing-reality-is-one-of-the-only-ways-we-can-ever-be-sure/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [There have been many socially conscious concept albums. I wanted to make a 'social consciousness' concept album disguised as a country record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/there-have-been-many-socially-conscious-concept-albums-i-wanted-to/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [Somebody told me once it takes an Americana song five minutes to say what a country song says in three - so I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/somebody-told-me-once-it-takes-an-americana-song-five-minutes-to-say/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) [Explore all 77 Sturgill Simpson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [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/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never really had any grand aspirations of mainstream country success because I know what that entails, and I'd probably be too much trouble for people to work with. 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