The musicians that didn't know music could play the best blues. I know that I don't want no musicians who know all about music playin' for me.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I think that the blues is in everything, so it's not possible to neglect it. You hear somebody go 'Ooh ooh oooh,' and that's the blues. You hear a rock n' roll song. That's the blues. Somebody playing a guitar solo? They're playing the blues.
If you don't know the blues... there's no point in picking up the guitar and playing rock and roll or any other form of popular music.
Without the blues, modern music would be nothing like it is now - not remotely.
There was a time we decided that it was songs that were done especially from my background because of the things we were dealing with, but nowadays, anybody who has a need, and can find the need, they can sing the blues.
The blues is played everywhere. There's no place I've been where they don't have blues or aren't interested in blues.
When all the original blues guys are gone, you start to realize that someone has to tend to the tradition. I recognize that I have some responsibility to keep the music alive, and it's a pretty honorable position to be in.
Some of the greatest blues music is some of the darkest music you've ever heard.
I never liked blues and I really didn't like jazz. I liked Chuck Berry.
I didn't really grow up listening to blues, because I grew up in the Northwest. It wasn't really the center for blues.
The blues is like a planet. It's an enormous topic. You can't ignore the impact that it has had and continues to have on the whole musical culture. It's a tree that everyone is swinging from. Without it, I don't know where I would be. It's indelible and indispensable.