Quotes from B. B. King

I never use that word, retire.

A lot of people believe what other people say.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I bought my first electric guitar when I moved to Memphis; a Gibson with a DeArmond pickup which I used with a small Gibson amplifier.

If there was no ladies, I wouldn't wanna be on the planet. Ladies, friends, and music - without those three, I wouldn't wanna be here.

I wanted to connect my guitar to human emotions.

I guess you can look at me, and tell I'm the old man. My name is BB King.

I've always liked ladies all my life. I guess it started with my mom. So every time I saw a pretty lady, I thought, she's pretty.

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.

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

The Blues? It's the mother of American music. That's what is is - the source.

Music is good for everybody. They say it soothes the savage beast. Well, I think theirs a beast in all of us. So let's get some more music and soothe all the beasts out there.

A guitar is like an old friend that is there with me.

We all have idols. Play like anyone you care about but try to be yourself while you're doing so.

I thought Eric Clapton was good. He still is. Not only is he good - he's rock's #1 guitarist, and he plays blues better than most of us

Albert King wasn't my brother in blood, but he sure was my brother in Blues

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

God made Blues right after he made woman.

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

I can't think of anyone I've mistreated. I've always thought that I am my brother's keeper. And I believe there's a 'great spirit' that takes care of all of us.

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.