I realized I was tired of singing about trees and flowers. I wanted to sing about real life. From then on, nobody could tell me anything was better than blues.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Hearing the blues changed my life.
I suppose I was waiting until I was old enough to have some sort of experience to sing about. When you're young, it's hard to sing the blues. Nobody believes you.
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.
I don't try to just be a blues singer - I try to be an entertainer. That has kept me going.
The blues are what I've turned to, what has given me inspiration and relief in all the trials of my life.
I didn't really grow up listening to blues, because I grew up in the Northwest. It wasn't really the center for blues.
We just sang real simple songs in a simple way that got to people. We didn't try to tart them up with orchestral arrangements and all the stuff. We were all blues fanatics. We like R+B and blues and simple, gut-feeling music.
There was one emotional outlet my people always had when they had the blues. That was singing.
When I was young, I wanted to be the greatest blues singer of all time. I wrecked my education and left home for it.
I would sing the blues if I had the blues.