Aaron Neville Quotes

Powerful Aaron Neville for Daily Growth

About Aaron Neville

Aaron Neville, born on January 24, 1941, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is an iconic figure in American music, particularly in soul and R&B genres. Known for his distinctive, powerful voice and emotional delivery, Neville's career spans over six decades, marked by numerous hits, collaborations, and accolades. Raised in a musical family, Aaron was influenced by the spiritual music of The Neville Brothers (his siblings Art, Charles, Cyril, and the late A.C.) and legends like Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby. He started his professional career in the early 1960s as part of The Hawketts, a New Orleans R&B group that scored regional hits with songs like "Mariah" and "Land of a Thousand Dances." In the late 1960s, Aaron embarked on a successful solo career. His soulful rendition of "Tell It Like It Is," written by Lee Dorsey, became his first top-ten pop hit in 1966 and earned him a Grammy Award nomination. The success led to collaborations with other artists like Labelle, which resulted in the million-selling single "Lady Marmalade" in 1974. Aaron's career experienced a resurgence in the 1980s with his collaboration with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris on the album 'Trio.' The record produced a series of hits, including their cover of "Don't Know Much," which won three Grammy Awards. In 2000, Aaron released his critically acclaimed solo album 'Woman in Love,' showcasing his versatility and enduring talent. In 2018, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Neville Brothers. Throughout his career, Aaron Neville has been celebrated for his unique voice, soulful delivery, and enduring contributions to American music. His influence extends beyond his hits and albums, inspiring generations of musicians and continuing to captivate audiences around the world.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Music is like a dream. One that I never want to end."

Aaron Neville's quote emphasizes the profound, captivating nature of music, comparing it to a dream. It suggests that music offers an immersive, enchanting experience that transcends reality, one where time seems to stand still and the listener is transported into another world. This unending dream-like state is what makes music so appealing and addictive to Neville – a never-ending source of joy and inspiration.


"I believe there's a song for every emotion, and music has always been my sanctuary."

Aaron Neville's quote expresses the belief that there exists a piece of music to suit every human emotion, and further emphasizes that music serves as a personal refuge or safe haven for him. This suggests that music is not merely an art form but plays a vital role in helping individuals process and cope with their feelings and experiences, providing solace, understanding, and emotional relief during challenging times.


"Love can heal you, love can make you whole again."

This quote by Aaron Neville highlights the powerful restorative capacity of love. It suggests that love, in its essence, can bring healing to one's emotional or psychological wounds and restore wholeness in an individual who has been hurt, broken, or disconnected. Love, when offered sincerely and received gratefully, holds the potential to repair, rebuild, and renew our spirit, making us feel whole again after life's trials and tribulations.


"I sing from the heart and let God worry about the rest."

This quote encapsulates a powerful philosophy in music and life. Aaron Neville suggests that he sings with sincerity, expressing emotions directly from his heart, leaving divine providence to take care of the consequences or outcomes. It implies trust in the process, the power of authentic self-expression, and faith in a higher power's guidance in personal and creative endeavors.


"There's nothing like being on stage and having the audience sing with me."

Aaron Neville's quote expresses the unique bond that forms between a performer and their audience when they share the same passion for music. On stage, he finds a connection that goes beyond just singing; it becomes a communal experience as the audience sings along. This shared moment of joy, energy, and emotional resonance amplifies the power of music, making it an unparalleled experience for both artist and audience alike.


If we were poor, we didn't know it 'cause I guess you don't miss what you never had. So, you know, we made do with whatever. We used to make our own toys, and we used to play with spinning tops and marbles. A pocket full of marbles, and you were rich - you didn't worry about no money.

- Aaron Neville

Play, Own, About, Tops

We used to play football on the levee, with no shirts on in the summer - August in New Orleans - and my skin would turn red. They'd call me Redskin, Red Apache, then it turned around to Apache Red.

- Aaron Neville

Play, New, Turned, August

'Yellow Moon' was a poem. My wife at the time, Joel - she's dead now - it was our 25th anniversary. She had the chance to go on a cruise with her sister. And I'm home with the kids and looking up, and I saw the big moon, and I just started writing.

- Aaron Neville

Yellow, Dead, Big, Poem

I remember going up and doing 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' with Paul Simon, Santana playing up there with us.

- Aaron Neville

Doing, I Remember, Over, None

Through the years, I found we had Native American blood in us. My great-grandmother came from the island of Martinique, and they hooked up with the Native Americans of Louisiana.

- Aaron Neville

Island, Through, Native Americans

Doo-wop is the true music to me, man. Doo-wop was what nurtured me and grew me into who I am, and I guess even when I was in school, the teacher probably thought I had ADD or something every day, because I'd be beating on the desks, singing like the Flamingos or the Spaniels or Clyde McPhatter or somebody.

- Aaron Neville

Thought, Every Day, Had, Beating

I grew up singing Ray Charles and Jimmy Reed.

- Aaron Neville

Singing, Up, Charles, Reed

I always loved Sam Cooke, because he seemed very versatile. He sang gospel, soul, blues, pop music.

- Aaron Neville

Always, Very, Seemed, Versatile

My drummer, bass player, and guitar player sing backgrounds. They play and sing. I can sing all the harmonies, but I can't do it alone.

- Aaron Neville

Play, I Can, Guitar Player, Backgrounds

I was raised Catholic, but my father's people were Methodist, so we went to both churches.

- Aaron Neville

Father, Religion, Raised, Churches

Be honest, be nice, be a flower not a weed.

- Aaron Neville

Honest, Be Nice, Weed, Flower

I was very surprised when I heard that I had been chosen to receive the James Cardinal Gibbons Award.

- Aaron Neville

Been, Very, Receive, Surprised

I dig Steve Harvey: he's the suit man. I be checking him out.

- Aaron Neville

Dig, Checking, Steve, Harvey

It's a 360-degree sound experience. Like you're in the middle of the band. A lot of people have the technology to play the format, so why not put it out there. It sounds great.

- Aaron Neville

Play, Middle, Like, Why Not

In New Orleans, music is part of the culture. You're raised with it, from the cradle to the grave, and all in-between.

- Aaron Neville

New, Grave, Part, New Orleans

I worked with the Neville Brothers for 40-some years on the highway, and up and down since I can remember - funk from New Orleans.

- Aaron Neville

New, Down, Brothers, New Orleans

My brother Art was a doo-wopper. He had a group that sat out on a park bench in New Orleans and sang harmonies at night, and they'd go around and win all the talent shows and get all the girls, you know.

- Aaron Neville

Out, Around, Had, New Orleans

New Orleans will always be in my heart. New Orleans raised me - it's in my blood.

- Aaron Neville

New, Will, Always, New Orleans

Man, I was scared. I didn't know what to think. All of a sudden, I got a record climbing the charts, and I'm out in the streets. You know, workin' on the docks. And the first week, it sold something like 40,000 in New Orleans.

- Aaron Neville

Week, Streets, Charts, New Orleans

It's one of the greatest festivals in the world. New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest is the best all-around... It's an honor to be closing it.

- Aaron Neville

New, Jazz, Festivals, New Orleans

Ain't no place like New Orleans. It's one of kind.

- Aaron Neville

New, Kind, Like, New Orleans

When I was living in the projects, I had a mop stick for my horse. I wanted to be Gene Autry or Roy Rogers, so I would ride my mop through the projects.

- Aaron Neville

Living, Through, Projects, Roy

I am very honored and excited to have 'Devotion' released as the first DVD Audio disc... surround sound is amazing... The music comes alive and is so vibrant - it's unlike anything you've ever heard before!

- Aaron Neville

Alive, Before, Very, Disc

It's up to God to do the judging. You haven't walked in my boots, so how are you going to judge me?

- Aaron Neville

How, Going, Walked, Boots

The gospel music and doo-wop is what has informed me personally.

- Aaron Neville

Music, Informed, Personally, Gospel Music

So I went in front of the judge, and I had my St. Jude prayer book in my pocket and my St. Jude medal. And I'm standing there and that judge said I was found guilty, so he sentenced me to what the law prescribed: one to 14 years.

- Aaron Neville

Book, Years, Had, Prescribed

But I knew if I ran I'd never be able to sing, so I had to take my punishment.

- Aaron Neville

Never, Knew, Had, Ran

When I was growing in the Callope project, we had an oval parkway. Pavement ran around this whole thing. We'd skate or ride bicycles. There were benches and trees out there. It was paradise to us. They finished building it the same year I was born.

- Aaron Neville

Project, Year, Had, Ran

The music of the Clovers and Spaniels and the rest was like candy to me. I couldn't get enough; my teachers probably thought I had attention deficit disorder.

- Aaron Neville

Rest, Thought, Like, Attention Deficit

I used to always sing my way into the movies and the basketball games or whatever. I'd sing for whoever's on the door, and they'd let me in. I used to think I was Nat King Cole back in the day, you know. So I'd sing something like, 'Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa, men have named you,' and they'd let me in.

- Aaron Neville

Door, Back, Named, Mona

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