I come from a lineage of ministers. Lizz Wright More Quotes by Lizz Wright More Quotes From Lizz Wright I've followed my voice rather than forcing it to emerge. Lizz Wright voice What I like is not a particular genre, it's storytelling. There's a lot of great storytelling in jazz, and in folk and in country music. Lizz Wright storytelling jazz country If I can make something real and it's appreciated and accessible to other people, I'm happy. Lizz Wright appreciated real people Finally I started really opening up as a songwriter and an interpreter and taking songs from all kind of genres and stripping them down to just lyrics and the story inside the lyrics, and trying to make them really mine. Lizz Wright opening-up song trying People are a lot more open than even they think they are. And I feel like I carry a heavy story about where I come from and those roots, but also what I like as a thinker. Lizz Wright roots people thinking I just want something that is real and that moves people. And just want to make something real. Lizz Wright want-something real moving Just because I'm a recording artist doesn't mean I'm not an artist. Because I had to grow. Lizz Wright grows artist mean I'm not angry. I can't sing that loud for that long anyway, I'll start coughing - I don't have the instrument for it. I don't feel that emotional. I'm at peace. Lizz Wright coughing emotional long I love songs that create moments that are very personal and that tell a story. Lizz Wright personal story moments love I live just above a creek, and it's always very active. It almost sounds like the ocean. It's constant, and there's lots of big rocks in it, so it's got a great sound. It's one of my favorite things. Lizz Wright live great ocean sound I want to record, tour, and just live life. Lizz Wright live live-life want life Gardening is a working meditation for me. It helps me remember process, and it helps me remember patience. Lizz Wright me gardening patience remember Singing in church is a very different approach to music. It's very much about transcending the idea of self. It's about finding something greater that connects all of us. Gospel music is about tapping into that. Lizz Wright singing music church self I think living in a way that's close to nature makes you feel like that - makes you feel how thin the veil is between life and death. Lizz Wright you nature life death It's hard to know who you are until you're cracked open a little bit. Lizz Wright who know you hard Jazz has a lot to do with being very present. You know the structure, then you flow through it. Lizz Wright present know you jazz No matter what happens, I can go back to the mountains. I have nature and my wonderful friends and neighbors. I get so much by being there. Lizz Wright mountains friends nature matter A lot of people in the African-American community are raised by grandmothers, and that relationship is a special bond and circle. Lizz Wright bond community relationship people I come from a family that has grown their own food from well into times of slavery, provided for themselves and people around them. So I found, through conversations about the earth and about the house with my neighbors, a lot of common ground. Lizz Wright slavery family food people By high school, I was putting the music for the services together and teaching Sunday school to everybody's kids. Lizz Wright high-school music together school