Songs come from all over the place. You can't predict what you're going to like. You might like something that doesn't fit right now. What was working for you at one point, something you've loved for years and years, when you get together with everybody, you think, this doesn't match up with what's going on with you personally.
Alison KraussI think that people respond to honesty in music, so I only choose songs that are the truth for me.
Alison KraussI'm much better at fixing or changing a melody to suit me than I would a lyric. But for me, everything is lyric. It has to be true for me to say it.
Alison KraussSome things feel really good to sing: there's a physical aspect, but there's more to it - a deeper place you go to.
Alison KraussI don't get recognised in London or at home either - very seldom anyway. Either that or I look so crazy no one wants to come up to me.
Alison KraussWhenever I've chosen a song because it's clever, it's always turned out to be a mistake.
Alison KraussI grew up in a school that had a big music program, and it was incredible. It's what I looked forward to during the day. I had chorus, strings, band.
Alison KraussI find the songs I want to record by listening to as much music as I can. 'When I hear things I really like, I ask the writers to send me a tape of everything they've ever written.
Alison KraussYou know, for most of its life bluegrass has had this stigma of being all straw hats and hay bales and not necessarily the most sophisticated form of music. Yet you can't help responding to its honesty. It's music that finds its way deep into your soul because it's strings vibrating against wood and nothing else.
Alison KraussI don't know if bliss is possible and I've always thought that my best times will be later in life.
Alison KraussGrowing up I used to love bands like Free and ELO and the Rolling Stones. When Robert Plant got in touch it made perfect sense to me.
Alison KraussLyrics are kind of the whole thing; it's the message. Something might have a beautiful melody but if it's not the truth coming out of your mouth, it's not appealing
Alison KraussThat's what I love. Not being interrupted, sitting in a car by myself and listening to music in the rain. There are so many great songs yet to sing
Alison KraussThe grand old lady of bluegrass? Well, wouldn't that be a wonderful title to have? I hope I do enough to earn it some day
Alison KraussIt's impossible to make a record when you're ill because it affects how you listen to things. You can't make decisions. It all sounds terrible.
Alison KraussIt's not that I have resisted songwriting, it's just not something I felt I have had to do. I've just not woken up and thought, I must do this. But I have often heard music that I have instantly felt 'I have to sing that song'
Alison KraussWhen it's open and honest, that's when the real nature of who you are as a vocalist or as a performer, all of that stuff can finally start to become what it's supposed to be. Like a settling into yourself. It's not even a musical thing, it's a whole mindset, a whole acceptance of who you were supposed to be. Life sounds good
Alison Krauss