If you want to be a good blues singer, people are going to be down on you, so dress like you're going to the bank to borrow money.
B. B. KingRead
In our local Baptist church, I sang in the choir and formed a gospel quartet. When our minister caught me messing with his guitar, he taught me three positions - one, four and five. After that, I taught myself to play.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the importance of mentorship and self-education in the pursuit of one’s passions.
B. B. King's quote highlights the foundational experiences in his musical journey, emphasizing how a mentor's guidance in learning basic chord positions enabled him to explore and teach himself the craft of playing the guitar. This illustrates the idea that initial support and encouragement can spark a deeper personal exploration and mastery of a skill.
Themes
MusicMentorshipSelf-EducationGuitarLearning
In practice
Example use cases
Sharing this quote during a music workshop to inspire beginners.
More from B. B. King
All quotes →The way I feel today, as long as my health is good and I can handle myself well and people still come to my concerts, still buy my CDs, I'll keep playing until I feel like I can't.
B. B. KingRead
Everything I record, I just try to sound like me and come up with songs that suit what I do and then just go for it. I never know what the public's going to like, anyway.
B. B. KingRead
A guitar is like an old friend that is there with me.
B. B. KingRead
I have not been a good father, but no father has loved his children more. Like my father, I decided the best thing I could do for my kids was work and provide. Fortunately, I've been able to do that. Unfortunately, my work was on the road, and that's meant a life of one-nighters.
B. B. KingRead
People all over the world have problems. And as long as people have problems, the blues can never die.
B. B. KingRead
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