Al Wilson

“There was nothing slow about it. I’ve been saying this to everybody since the very first day. As soon as I met her, I could tell she was going to be a success. She has that electricity. She is just a hard worker. If you’re really busy and focused on your goal, you can’t really falter. It happened faster than I expected, but I knew she was going to be a superstar.”

“Everyone can find something about her music that they can relate to, connect and identify with. She’s a poet, for sure. Anybody whose art, no matter what it is, comes across and is genuine and sincere—they’re so connected to it— it’s a reflection of their personality and who they are as a person.”

“A lot of times I think people may feel a pressure—they’re so afraid to fail that I think that holds them back from being in situations that could be amazing opportunities. I’ve not really ever been afraid or worried about failing or making a mistake. I want to grow and I think making mistakes helps you grow and that’s why I’m not afraid of it.”

“If someone is starting to play drums because they want to make money, then they’re doing it for the wrong reasons. They should really focus on the love and the craft and the art. I don’t think a lot of people realize the extent of what an amazing art playing the drums is.”

“The focus that it has taken for me to be successful and to be really good at what I do has disconnected me greatly from a lot of people I care about. That overshadows everything. To be really good at it—and especially in situations that have so much exposure—I had to be very focused on my job.”

“My daughter is 10 years old and I’ve been visiting her and my wife occasionally my daughter’s whole life, so I much prefer staying home. I love to travel, I love the places, but I’m excited and inspired at the moment. The more I teach, the more I’m practicing, the more I’m growing, the more I’m learning. So right now I couldn’t imagine being in a more inspired position. I’m learning something every single day. I’m being inspired hourly and I’m getting to help my daughter with her homework.”

“When I teach the drums, every time I see on a student’s face the kind of excitement that I feel and have always felt about drums and music—that reminds me why I do this, every single time.”

“Everybody has rhythm. Your heart beating in your chest is rhythm. You just have to open up that channel in your limbs.”