Pastoral Resources

You treat characters like people you meet in life-friends or mentors.

I'm proud of my mentors. Ray Charles is the strongest influence on me as a singer.

We've never performed the song live outside of recording it in the studio. That was a dream come true because Whitney, she's an icon and she's been one of my main mentors in this business.

Mine were informal mentors. They were all in my working life.

I was lucky that I met the right mentors and teachers at the right moment.

My mentors are people like Cameron Crowe and Carrie Fisher.

Dr. Cox mentors the rookie doctors with a spoonful of dirt and then a cup of sugar. I see him as an archetypal descendent of two of my favorite curmudgeonly characters: Lou Grant and Louie De Palma.

Context begins with other artists - seniors and mentors.

You know, you do need mentors, but in the end, you really just need to believe in yourself.

And I'd watch George C. Scott from backstage. He was one of my mentors.

The biggest difference is in the leadership. It was better for us. We had more coaches and mentors to help us. A lot of the younger players today suffer from a lack of direction.

My success was due to good luck, hard work, and support and advice from friends and mentors. But most importantly, it depended on me to keep trying after I had failed.