Music is an addiction.
Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.
In Europe, they like everything you do. The mistakes and everything. ThatÂ’s a little bit too much.
Play what you know and then play above that.
Stop before you’re done.
If you’re trying to be hip, be hip!
Always look ahead, but never look back.
As long as I can say what it is that I need to say, then I’ll fit whatever I’m trying to say around a melody.
One of the things I like about Jazz, kid, is I don’t know what’s going to happen next. Do you?
Live music is best! Make plans to get out and support your local Jazz scene.
You must surrender whatever preconceptions you have about music if you’re really interested in it.
Music and culture are intrinsically improvisational, existential.
I played in rhumba bands, mickey mouse bands; all kinds of bands.
Pop doesn’t really look back. It can’t. What makes pop work is simplicity.
Music is the most interesting thing in the world.
I got a chance to listen to and watch Thelonious Monk and his quartet play two shows a night, for six weeks. It was a great education. There was my university, man.
Jazz isn’t a what, it’s a how.
My neighbors always listen to very hip Jazz… whether they like it or not.
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.
I guess you can look at me, and tell I’m the old man. My name is BB King.
One way or the other, if you want to find reasons why you shouldn’t keep on, you’ll find ’em. The obstacles are all there; there are a million of ’em.
Hipness is what it is. But sometimes hipness is what it ain’t.
