I’ve said that playing the blues is like having to be black twice. Stevie Ray Vaughan missed on both counts, but I never noticed.
Meaning of the quote
The quote suggests that playing the blues music style is like having to be Black twice, meaning it is a challenging task for someone who is not Black. It suggests that Stevie Ray Vaughan, a famous White blues musician, did not fully capture the essence of the blues, but B.B. King, the speaker, did not notice or mind this. The quote highlights the unique cultural and historical roots of the blues genre, which can be difficult for those outside the Black community to fully understand and perform.
About B. B. King
B.B. King was a legendary American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was known for his influential style of soloing and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. King performed tirelessly throughout his career, appearing at over 200 concerts per year well into his 70s.
More quotes from B. B. King
The blues was like that problem child that you may have had in the family. You was a little bit ashamed to let anybody see him, but you loved him. You just didn’t know how other people would take it.
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Jazz is the big brother of the blues. If a guy’s playing blues like we play, he’s in high school. When he starts playing jazz it’s like going on to college, to a school of higher learning.
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The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.
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I don’t think anybody steals anything; all of us borrow.
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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.
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We all have idols. Play like anyone you care about but try to be yourself while you’re doing so.
American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter (1925-2015)
I’ve said that playing the blues is like having to be black twice. Stevie Ray Vaughan missed on both counts, but I never noticed.
American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter (1925-2015)