Quotes and Sayings By Famous Virgo

I liked blues from the time my mother used to take me to church. I started to listen to gospel music, so I liked that. But I had an aunt at that time, my mother's aunt who bought records by people like Lonnie Johnson, Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and a few others.

Blind • Johnson • Listen • Lonnie • Me • Mother • Music • People • Records • Time

I started to like blues, I guess, when I was about 6 or 7 years old. There was something about it, because nobody else played that kind of music.

Blues • Kind • Music • Nobody • Old • Something • Years

Touring a segregated America – forever being stopped and harassed by white cops hurt you most 'cos you don't realise the damage. You hold it in. You feel empty, like someone reached in and pulled out your guts. You feel hurt and dirty, less than a person.

America • Cops • Dirty • Empty • Feel • Forever • Guts • Hurt • Less • Person • Segregated • Someone • White • You

I don't care for the music when they're talking bad about women because I think women are God's greatest gift to the planet – I just like music.

Bad • Care • Gift • God • Music • Think • Women

I would sit on the street corners in my hometown of Indianola, Mississippi, and I would play. And, generally, I would start playing gospel songs.

Corners • Hometown • Indianola • Mississippi • Play • Playing • Songs • Start • Street

I used to play – when I first started trying to be professional, I disk jockey from 1949 to 1955 in Memphis, Tennessee, and I was quite popular there as a disk jockey.

First • Jockey • Memphis • Play • Professional • Tennessee • Trying • Used

When I do eventually drop, I pray to God that it'll happen in one of three ways. Firstly, on stage or leaving the stage, then secondly in my sleep. And the third way? You'll have to figure that out for yourself!

Drop • God • Sleep • Stage • Third Way • Three • Ways • You • Yourself

If T-Bone Walker had been a woman, I would have asked him to marry me. I'd never heard anything like that before: single-string blues played on an electric guitar.

Anything • Blues • Electric Guitar • Guitar • Him • Me • Never • Singlestring • TBone • Walker • Woman

As for my band, well, my mentors were Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Jimmie Lunceford, and no one had a band more smartly dressed than Duke.

Band • Benny • Dressed • Duke • Ellington • Jimmie • Lunceford • Mentors • More • One • Than • Well

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.

Able • Best • Children • Father • Fortunately • Good • Kids • Life • Onenighters • Road • Thing • Work

I've always tried to defend the idea that the blues doesn't have to be sung by a person who comes from Mississippi, as I did.

Always • Blues • Defend • Idea • Person • Tried

I was a regular hand when I was 7. I picked cotton. I drove tractors. Children grew up not thinking that this is what they must do. We thought this was the thing to do to help your family.

Children • Family • Grew • Hand • Help • Regular Hand • Thing • Thinking

I don't feel that no big stone should be put over my head, saying he did this, he did that. Unless there's something that I really did do. I believe I'm just ordinary. And I'd like for people to think of me that way, as just a guy that tried. Wanted to be loved by other people because he loved people.

Believe • Big • Guy • Head • Loved • Me • People • Saying • Something • Stone • Think • Unless • Way

I've seen myself on those lists of the 100 best guitarists, and if they think that I'm that good, thank them. Thank God for them. But I don't think so.

Best • God • Good • Guitarists • Lists • Myself • Seen • Thank God

My dad died, I think, at 87. So I'll be lucky if I make 87. But in a lot of cases, the younger people live longer than their parents. And they know more. My dad used to tell me he ate the hog from his rooter to his tooter. So do I when I'm not trying to lose weight.

Died • Live • Lot • Lucky • Me • Parents • People • Rooter • Think • Tooter • Trying • Younger

I never met a woman I didn't like. I love 'em all, in their different ways.

Different • Different Ways • Like • Love • Met • Never • Woman

'She's Dynamite' was a 100 years ago, and I recorded that song because the company thought that it was a great song and it was hot. That was the beginning of rock n' roll, and I guess they thought it would be a BB King version of rock n' roll.

BB • Beginning • Company Thought • Dynamite • Great • King • Rock • Song • Thought • Version • Years

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.

Everything • Go For It • Know • Me • Never • Public • Songs • Sound • Suit • Try

The problem is that a lot of the blues stations are late on Saturday night, and like a lot of people, I ain't no vampire!

Blues • Late • Lot • Night • People • Problem • Saturday • Stations

I like jazz, rock n' roll, some hip hop – I can't think of any music I don't like.

Jazz • Jazz Rock • Like • Music • Rock • Roll • Think

My last divorce was in '68. What made it come to a head was a promise. See, I had promised her that the next year I wouldn't work as much. But then I got in trouble with the IRS, and I had to continue working just as much to pay the government. So she said I lied, which is something I never did.

Divorce • Government • Head • IRS • Last Divorce • Much • Next Year • Promise • She • Something • Trouble • Work

Once in a while, the thumb that fits over the neck of the guitar kinda bothers me a little bit, but not that much yet. I figure in time I won't do much because of my age.

Age • Bit • Guitar • Kinda • Little • Me • Much • Neck • Once • Thumb • Time

I tell my children now that they are older, 'If something happens to me… don't make no big fuss over me. Don't make no big expense on my funeral. Don't put any pressure on the rest of the family. I've loved everybody, and I hope they loved me. But don't create this big expense for the family.'

Big • Big Fuss • Children • Everybody • Expense • Family • Funeral • Hope • Loved • Me • Older • Pressure • Rest • Something

I've been a loner all the time throughout my life… I haven't been the best father… Many times… my children have accused me of not giving them enough attention. And, frankly, I never have been good at handling that.

Best • Children • Father • Frankly • Good • Handling • Life • Loner • Many • Time • Times

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.

Baptist • Choir • Church • Gospel • Guitar • Local • Me • Minister • Myself • One • Play • Positions • Taught • Three

I was a singing disc jockey who heard every type of music there was – and loved it all.

Every Type • Heard • Loved • Music • Singing • Singing Disc Jockey • Type • Who