Ry Cooder

I don't like being watched, and I don't like being an entertainer.

I had a lot of luck in meeting great musicians who were kind enough to show me things.

I like classical music. I especially like the French composers: Ravel in particular. Debussy. That's so soothing in a nervous world.

The ocean is very comfortable. I could never live inland.

Musicians understand each other through means other that speaking.

To me, the essence of the music is the most important thing.

The thing I always found about the gospel music was that it reached further into your being if you like, your mind. It takes hold of you - especially if you sing it and play it.

I think all the music I do, which ties together, as far as I'm concerned, is fun and entertaining.

Travelling is hard. I'm no traveller. I hate flying, and I hate hotels.

With country, it's hard to penetrate the thick layers of commercialism that have been applied like shellac coatings over the real thing.

I think I'm more relaxed; I think I'm more philosophical. I don't get worried as much as I used to about things.

The biggest inspiration I had was to take norteno soul music and fuse it with Mexican music. It was my great big idea to do that.