B. B. King

You only live but once, and when your died your done, so let the good times roll.

I have a nice car, a Mercedes. And then I have an old El Camino truck that I’m crazy about. I like to get in that truck and go up in the hills near where I live, in Vegas, and take my camera. That, to me, is Heaven, being out in nature, taking pictures of the wildlife.

I never use that word, retire.

I didn’t want to disrespect my parents, so I never played blues around the house. But I knew then, same as I know today, that I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I think that before they died, they both felt very proud of me.

When I was in the country and I was trying to play, nobody seemed to pay too much attention to me. People used to say, ‘That’s just that ole blues singer.’

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.

Women have not been socialized to play drums. It’s not natural for us to hit thing.

I have a lot of albums yet to do.

It isn’t where you came from, its where you’re going that counts.

I play the way I do cause it allows me to come up w/ the sickest sounds possible. That’s the point now isn’t it?

In order to be honest with myself, I have to reveal more of who I am. This is a part of the improv process.

I don’t meditate before I play or compose, but I see playing and composing as meditative acts.

The most important thing I look for in a musician is whether he knows how to listen.

Jazz is a sideways glance at music. It’s like being an architect, knowing the basis of design but understanding that the façade can be whatever you dream. I’m a free person. I don’t want to be tied down.

There’s always room for improvisation or changes of expression.

I was unfashionable before anyone knew who I was.

Music’s been around a long time, and there’s going to be music long after Ray Charles is dead. I just want to make my mark, leave something musically good behind. If it’s a big record, that’s the frosting on the cake, but music’s the main meal.

Music should strike fire from the heart of man and bring tears to the eyes of woman.

It is evidently known, beyond contradiction, that New Orleans is the cradle of Jazz and I, myself, happened to be the creator in the year 1902.

Breathe…. breathe a lot!

I’m not a star. I’m just backing up the cats.