---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 18 and going to Berklee…"
description: "\"When I was 18 and going to Berklee College of Music, I started singing in a 60-person gospel choir where almost everyone was African-American.\" — Susan..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/403/susan-tedeschi-6059_choir_when-i-was-18-and-going-to-berklee-colle_2779248.jpg"
---

#  When I was 18 and going to Berklee College of Music, I…

![“When I was 18 and going to Berklee College of Music, I started singing in a 60-person gospel choir where almost everyone was African-American.” quote by Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/403/susan-tedeschi-6059_choir_when-i-was-18-and-going-to-berklee-colle_2779248.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/403/susan-tedeschi-6059_choir_when-i-was-18-and-going-to-berklee-colle_2779248.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/403/susan-tedeschi-6059_choir_when-i-was-18-and-going-to-berklee-colle_2779248.jpg)

> “When I was 18 and going to Berklee College of Music, I started singing in a 60-person gospel choir where almost everyone was African-American.”

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

## About This Quote

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

Joining a diverse gospel choir at Berklee exposed the singer to new cultural and musical experiences.

**In simple terms:** Diverse choirs broaden musical horizons.

Key Takeaway

Engage with varied artistic communities.

Themes

music diversity cultural exchange

Mood

reflective inspired

Type

narrative inspirational

When to use this quote

- concerts
- music education
- collaborations

Key Concepts

community building musical growth

Questions to Reflect On

- What did you learn from the choir?
- How does diversity enrich art?

A Different Perspective

Cultural immersion may be challenging.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Choir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choir/) [Choir African](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choir-african-3297818/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Going Berklee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-berklee-3297817/) [Gospel Choir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel-choir-1047904/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Singing 60](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing-60-1223480/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Started Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-singing/)

## Related quotes

> [I would say when I was 9 or 10 I started doing gospel choir, and I was with them for about two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-barrett/i-would-say-when-i-was-9-or-10-i-started-doing-gospel-choir-and-i-was/)

[Gabby Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-barrett/)

> [I always sang in church always was in a gospel choir and directed choirs and always performed, but I never thought of it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-king/i-always-sang-in-church-always-was-in-a-gospel-choir-and-directed/)

[Charles King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-king/)

> [I belong to a gospel choir. They know I am an atheist but they are very tolerant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-belong-to-a-gospel-choir-they-know-i-am-an-atheist-but-they-are/)

[Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/)

> [People have to realise you don't help African children singing along to 60-year-old men playing their tunes from 40 years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-brown/people-have-to-realise-you-don-t-help-african-children-singing-along/)

[Ian Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-brown/)

> [I started singing in a choir when I was 4 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-harvey/i-started-singing-in-a-choir-when-i-was-4-years-old/)

[Mandy Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-harvey/)

> [I started out singing in high school in the choir and in a garage band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stark-sands/i-started-out-singing-in-high-school-in-the-choir-and-in-a-garage-band/)

[Stark Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stark-sands/)

> [I started singing in my church choir, and then when I got to middle school, I had the coolest musical theatre director, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shanice-williams/i-started-singing-in-my-church-choir-and-then-when-i-got-to-middle/)

[Shanice Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shanice-williams/)

> [When I started singing, people said I couldn't sing because I was a music director. I proved them wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himesh-reshammiya/when-i-started-singing-people-said-i-couldn-t-sing-because-i-was-a/)

[Himesh Reshammiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himesh-reshammiya/)

> [He asked if I was a songwriter, and I said yeah, that I was in town because I'd won this contest. He said, okay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-godfrey/he-asked-if-i-was-a-songwriter-and-i-said-yeah-that-i-was-in-town/)

[Arthur Godfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-godfrey/)

> [“She waved at all the people on the train &amp; later, when she saw they didn't wave back, she started singing songs to herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/she-waved-at-all-the-people-on-the-train-later-when-she-saw-they-didn/)

[Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/)

> [My father being in the movie business, I thought being an actor would be great. But when I started singing to people in coffeehouses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crosby/my-father-being-in-the-movie-business-i-thought-being-an-actor-would/)

[David Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crosby/)

> [My mother, Zelma, was an influence on my career. When I was six or seven I started singing, imitating people like Eartha Kitt, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-lipman/my-mother-zelma-was-an-influence-on-my-career-when-i-was-six-or-seven/)

[Maureen Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-lipman/)

> [I started off singing when I was little. My parents have said I was singing at 3 years old. So I think it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-elliott/i-started-off-singing-when-i-was-little-my-parents-have-said-i-was/)

[Brooke Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-elliott/)

> [I don't think I have a great voice, but I started singing on my tracks and they did a lot better. So I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-misch/i-don-t-think-i-have-a-great-voice-but-i-started-singing-on-my-tracks/)

[Tom Misch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-misch/)

> [I only started singing at about 15, and it came as quite a surprise to my dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romy-madley-croft/i-only-started-singing-at-about-15-and-it-came-as-quite-a-surprise-to/)

[Romy Madley Croft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romy-madley-croft/)

## More by Susan Tedeschi

> [What we've learned is there's no right way to write a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/what-we-ve-learned-is-there-s-no-right-way-to-write-a-song/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [I love playing live and meeting a lot of the people and hearing their stories and how the music touches their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-love-playing-live-and-meeting-a-lot-of-the-people-and-hearing-their/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [I think I've been a performer since I was about 4.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-think-i-ve-been-a-performer-since-i-was-about-4/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [I try and not be the controlling woman I can probably be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-try-and-not-be-the-controlling-woman-i-can-probably-be/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [To me, Red Rocks is very Colorado, and you're loving nature and just soaking it all up. If you're that kind of person, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/to-me-red-rocks-is-very-colorado-and-you-re-loving-nature-and-just/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [I never really get to go out and see shows, other than your own or if you're at a festival or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-never-really-get-to-go-out-and-see-shows-other-than-your-own-or-if/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [I played with Buddy Guy on his 63rd birthday and got to bring him a cake. And I played with B.B. King on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-played-with-buddy-guy-on-his-63rd-birthday-and-got-to-bring-him-a/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [Derek is a workaholic. He'll stay in the studio day and night if we let him. Me, I need to get away from it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/derek-is-a-workaholic-he-ll-stay-in-the-studio-day-and-night-if-we/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [It is sometimes a lot trickier to kind of be sweet and have, you know, the control and also have your voice sound like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/it-is-sometimes-a-lot-trickier-to-kind-of-be-sweet-and-have-you-know/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [For a long time, I really didn't know what my calling was, but when I discovered blues in my early twenties, that seemed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/for-a-long-time-i-really-didn-t-know-what-my-calling-was-but-when-i/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [We have a rule about how much we will work, so that we're not away from our kids for too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/we-have-a-rule-about-how-much-we-will-work-so-that-we-re-not-away/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [Sometimes you see these great musicians on the same playbill, in concert together, and it blows your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/sometimes-you-see-these-great-musicians-on-the-same-playbill-in/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [Actually we used bands like Mad Dogs &amp; Englishmen, Delaney &amp; Bonnie, and Derek &amp; the Dominos as a template.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/actually-we-used-bands-like-mad-dogs-englishmen-delaney-bonnie-and/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [I think sometimes I tap into other people. I sometimes write about other things that I see or just different situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-think-sometimes-i-tap-into-other-people-i-sometimes-write-about/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

> [I got a Magic Sam record, 'West Side Soul,' and that just ruined me. His voice, pure power, and then his guitar playing, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/i-got-a-magic-sam-record-west-side-soul-and-that-just-ruined-me-his/)

[Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

[Explore all 100 Susan Tedeschi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/)

## More Choir quotes

> [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/)

[Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/)

> [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/)

[Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/)

> [I sang in choir as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-weiland/i-sang-in-choir-as-a-kid/)

[Scott Weiland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-weiland/)

> [If you join a choir, it's a wonderful outlet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/if-you-join-a-choir-it-s-a-wonderful-outlet/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I grew up in a Southern Baptist-style church with a choir, a band, and music, but I've been asking myself my whole life, 'Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-grew-up-in-a-southern-baptist-style-church-with-a-choir-a-band-and/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [I've never had a very quiet voice. I tried in choir to make it smaller, and it just didn't work out. And I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-ve-never-had-a-very-quiet-voice-i-tried-in-choir-to-make-it-smaller/)

[Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/)

> [I feel choir just has a great sense of power when used with an orchestra, or even by itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramin-djawadi/i-feel-choir-just-has-a-great-sense-of-power-when-used-with-an/)

[Ramin Djawadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramin-djawadi/)

> [My mother raised me in the church. I was not allowed to stay home on Sunday; there was no option. I sang in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/my-mother-raised-me-in-the-church-i-was-not-allowed-to-stay-home-on/)

[Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/)

> [I worked at Dollywood when I was a kid. Then I worked at Opryland. I worked at a variety of theater things in Atlanta.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-degarmo/i-worked-at-dollywood-when-i-was-a-kid-then-i-worked-at-opryland-i/)

[Diana DeGarmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-degarmo/)

> [The genius of capitalism consists precisely in its lack of morality. Unless he is rich enough to hire his own choir, a capitalist is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-genius-of-capitalism-consists-precisely-in-its-lack-of-morality/)

[Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/)

> [I was class president, on the cheerleading squad, in a competitive show choir, and in, like, six different clubs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-lively/i-was-class-president-on-the-cheerleading-squad-in-a-competitive-show/)

[Blake Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-lively/)

> [So let me be thy choir, and make a moan Upon the midnight hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/so-let-me-be-thy-choir-and-make-a-moan-upon-the-midnight-hours/)

[John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/)

> [We will reflect the country we aspire to govern, and the sound of modern Britain's is a complex harmony, not a male voice choir.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/we-will-reflect-the-country-we-aspire-to-govern-and-the-sound-of/)

[David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/)

> [I grew up in the church, singing in choirs, and I went to a performing arts school, and I had a gospel group, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tweet/i-grew-up-in-the-church-singing-in-choirs-and-i-went-to-a-performing/)

[Tweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tweet/)

[Browse all 397 Choir quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choir/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When I was 18 and going to Berklee College of Music, I started singing in a 60-person gospel choir where almost everyone was African-American.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Susan Tedeschi"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/when-i-was-18-and-going-to-berklee-college-of-music-i-started-singing/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Choir"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/when-i-was-18-and-going-to-berklee-college-of-music-i-started-singing/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/403/susan-tedeschi-6059_choir_when-i-was-18-and-going-to-berklee-colle_2779248.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/403/susan-tedeschi-6059_choir_when-i-was-18-and-going-to-berklee-colle_2779248.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/403/susan-tedeschi-6059_choir_when-i-was-18-and-going-to-berklee-colle_2779248.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When I was 18 and going to Berklee College of Music, I started singing in a 60-person gospel choir where…” — Susan Tedeschi",
                "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": "Susan Tedeschi",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When I was 18 and going...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/when-i-was-18-and-going-to-berklee-college-of-music-i-started-singing/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/when-i-was-18-and-going-to-berklee-college-of-music-i-started-singing/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
