B. B. King Quotes

Author Image

B. B. King

Profession : Musician

Birth : September 16, 1925

Growing up, I was taught that a man has to defend his family. When the wolf is trying to get in, you gotta stand in the doorway.

B. B. King

Cotton was a force of nature. There's a poetry to it, hoeing and growing cotton.

B. B. King

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

B. B. King

Blues is a tonic for whatever ails you. I could play the blues and then not be blue anymore.

B. B. King

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.

B. B. King

I don't like anybody to be angry with me. I'd rather have friends.

B. B. King

Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but no one wants to die to get there!

B. B. King

Nobody loves me but my mother, and she could be jivin', too.

B. B. King

I never use that word, retire.

B. B. King

The blues was bleeding the same blood as me.

B. B. King

People all over the world have problems. And as long as people have problems, the blues can never die.

B. B. King

When you don't have much money, you worry that they'll just put you in the ground someplace and your loved ones won't know where you are.

B. B. King

A lot of people believe what other people say.

B. B. King

Back when we was in school in Mississippi, we had Little Black Sambo. That's what you learned: Anytime something was not good, or anytime something was bad in some kinda way, it had to be called black. Like, you had Black Monday, Black Friday, black sheep... Of course, everything else, all the good stuff, is white. White Christmas and such.

B. B. King

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.

B. B. King

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.

B. B. King

If you can't get your songs to people one way, you have to find another.

B. B. King

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. King

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.'

B. B. King

My wife Martha used to call me Ol' Lemon Face because of my facial contortions when I play Lucille. I squeeze my eyes and open my mouth, raise my eyebrows, cock my head and God knows what else. I look like I'm in torture, when in truth, I'm in ecstasy. I don't do it for show. Every fiber of my being is tingling.

B. B. King