51 Quotes by Richie Havens

I started out by myself, but it eventually turned into a trio by the mid-’60s – a conga drum and another guitarist. And that’s been mostly what I’ve worked with most of the time.

I must have played every college and university at least three times, and that goes for most of the clubs. I’d be on the road six days a week, go home and change bags, and then be gone for another six days.

I’m not in show business; I’m in the communications business. That’s what it’s about for me.

When I write a song today, basically it goes on the stage tomorrow. That’s the way it works. You cannont interrupt your consciousness; it all comes from the subconscious, it can happen anywhere. It could be in a telephone booth.

I believe we have a double in every country. There’s something about that that is probably a commonness that we don’t make note of. That maybe there’s only a cast for so many faces, and we live everywhere.

Woodstock happened in August 1969, long before the Internet and mobile phones made it possible to communicate instantly with anyone, anywhere. It was a time when we weren't able to witness world events or the horrors of war live on 24-hour news channels.