Mickey Newbury Quotes

The first song I wrote and had published was titled "Just As Long As That Someone Is You". It was written in 1959, and recorded in 1965 by Jimmy Ellege. I started writing songs because I wanted something of my own to sing. I, at that time, was not aware that the songs I heard on the radio were not written by the folks singing them. I had always loved poetry, and found it easy to integrate a melody with poetry.
Mickey Newbury 

It depends on whether you are a singer/songwriter or a songwriter/singer. In my case I chose to focus on writing. I would perform just enough to get feedback from the audience to insure a fragile thread was left unbroken. My captive audience, unlike the radio or dance audience, was the only audience I made any attempt to reach. In other words, Jodi, I tell my audience stories, and have no desire to be background music for conversation, dance music in a lounge, or the latest fad.
Mickey Newbury