"I feel most people in the entertainment industry end up in it for two reasons," says the style-driven, fashionably silver-haired singer during a Zoom chat.
"Either you like it and you don't know when to stop. Or you’re doing it for sustenance. You have to do it," Dick elaborates.
"I asked myself, do I still want to do music? And I realised, yeah. It's not a job, it's a passion. I've lasted almost 50 years in this career. I've managed, you know…somehow…it wasn't a conscious effort, but I did."
A Lucky Break
Photo Courtesy of Dick Lee
"That was a beautiful thing he did, and it was also risky, because I was unknown. But it led to my first album and my career. So, I really have Vernon to thank for that."
"My generation grew up playing live. And I think there is nothing more thrilling than playing and singing live in front of an audience."
"But the new generation has not grown up that way. They grew up in their bedrooms with a computer and GarageBand, making music and putting it online. They may get a million views, but they don't play live. It is something I'm really very concerned about."
"No one will invite them to perform in a concert. And when they do perform, they're not really that good. They're not experienced enough. Their music skills are limited because they just work on a computer."
"If I want to find a mainstream band, where do I find it? I couldn't think of any bands out there. Maybe I had to put together a band."
Using Today’s Tools
"Instagram was a very good source for talented musicians because you could see their work and watch them play music. And I was amazed at the number of young musicians that were of a level that I had not seen, even in professional musicians."
"The first thing I asked them was whether they wanted to play with someone who could be their grandfather. Their parents are younger than me! They said yes, because of the music."
- "I want to help and support young talent and people who are emerging in this industry, or musicians who are stuck, just as I have subconsciously reinvented myself through the years."
- "In this last quarter of my life, what do I want to do?"
- "I don't want to be all stressed out by what's going on. I just want to do what I love. And I'm very, very lucky to have an audience."
