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The blues is instilled in every musical cell that floats around your body.

The blues is not the creation of a crushed-spirited people. It is the product of a forward-looking, upward-striving people.

To me, blues is more of a feel and a vibe, rather than sitting there and saying, 'Well, I'm gonna play bluesy now.'

I believe in blues, and I believe that it's been misrepresented.

The blues echoes right through into soul, R&B and hip hop. It's part of the make-up of modern music. You can't turn your back on the 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.

The blues comes right back to a person's feelings, to his daily activities in life. But rich people don't know nothing about the blues, please believe me.

It is commercial pop that the majority of people understand. A working man's daughter would not understand blues.

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

Without the blues, modern music would be nothing like it is now - not remotely.