Aretha Franklin holds a significant place in the collective heart of America. She's a singular example of what we represent at our best. Michael McDonald More Quotes by Michael McDonald More Quotes From Michael McDonald The pollsters don't really know who's going to show up in a primary. Michael McDonald politics The hope from the reform groups was that you would just be able to wave a wand over the entire country and fix all the gerrymanders. Michael McDonald politics It’s very difficult for any Republican candidate to distance themselves from Trump. Michael McDonald top-news Absolutely United States could do this on their own, united States could also be United States. Michael McDonald politics It’s not surprising to me that a Democrat would be making that argument, there are a number of surveys that have been done that demonstrate the massive people who tend not to vote are Democratic in nature. Michael McDonald politics When I get in a bad mood about anything, I realize, 'Hey, I'm still working. It could always be a lot worse.' Michael McDonald realize bad mood bad-mood Everything's challenging for me, singing-wise. I'm like an old truck with one gear left on it. Michael McDonald everything like me truck I'm always like the guy who wants to date the pretty girl so bad, and when he finally gets the chance, he blows it because he spends too much time worrying about it. Michael McDonald bad girl chance time Aretha Franklin is and will always be a national treasure. Michael McDonald national will always treasure There were certain Ray Charles albums and a couple of early Marvin Gaye records that I used to listen to with a vengeance. That's how you forge a style. It excites you, and you lean toward it almost unconsciously. I was also a Beatles fanatic, but I didn't emulate them the way I did the R&B artists. Michael McDonald listen you style way Where I grew up in St. Louis, Saturday was country music day on television. We'd watch the Bill Anderson show, the Willie Nelson show, the Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner show, and always the Grand Ole Opry. My parents were fans of that music, and my friend's parents would pull the TV out and watch those shows on the porch. Michael McDonald friend parents day music I was attracted to black music for the same reason that I loved those old Irish ballads. Both were social statements of sorts, and both were indigenous to their respective cultures: Ireland, where my father had grown up, and towns like St. Louis along the Mississippi River, where I was growing up. Michael McDonald river black music father It's funny how, as we get older, what become our fondest memories are not necessarily the happiest times of our lives but the times of our lives that shaped us the most. Michael McDonald happiest how memories funny I have friends who write all the time, and I envy them terribly. Michael McDonald who friends envy time I love to write songs, but they don't come easy to me - I spend a lot of time writing really dumb stuff that I have to look at the next day and think, 'God, what was I thinking?' That's my process, is just to go through a lot of dumb stuff and hope that, after a lot of hard work, I'll find a good idea. Michael McDonald good hard-work work love I suppose I hit my lowest point in the early to mid-80s, which is when things really spun out of control for me. Michael McDonald point control things me Looking back, I sometimes wish I had done things differently. But if I had, I'm not sure that I wouldn't have proven to be my own worst enemy. Michael McDonald looking looking-back my-own sometimes 'Livin' on the Fault Line' was kind of a commercial disappointment for us, although it seemed to have a certain buzz with the smaller fan base we had. Michael McDonald line fault us disappointment It was surprising, really, that 'Minute by Minute' did as well as it did and as quickly as it did. Michael McDonald minute really did well Being in the studio, for me, can be a miserable experience - I can really psych myself out. Michael McDonald myself me experience i-can
