“Hard times don’t necessarily mean being poor all the time. I’ve known people that was a part of a family and always feel that the family likes everybody else but them. That hurts and that’s as deep a hurt as you can possibly get.”

If you want to be a good blues singer, people are going to be down on you, so dress like you’re going to the bank to borrow money.

A lot of people believe what other people say.

Water from the white fountain didn’t taste any better than from the black fountain.

When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing Lucille.

There’s a sadness to all kinds of music if you want to hear it. There’s also happiness to it if you want to hear it.

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

I tried to connect my singing voice to my guitar an’ my guitar to my singing voice. Like the two was talking to one another.

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.

It’s going to be years and years before most people realize how greatly he contributed to American music.

When I was young, I didn’t play like I do today. So these kids are starting at the height that I’ve reached. Think what they might do over time.

I don’t like to feel that I owe anything. I like to feel that I pay my own way, no free lunch.

When I do eventually drop, I pray to God that it will happen in one of three ways. Firstly, on stage or leaving the stage, then secondly in my sleep. And the third way? You’ll have to figure that out for yourself!

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

The crowds treat me like my last name. When I go onstage people usually stand up, I never ask them to, but they do. They stand up and they don’t know how much I appreciate it.

I wanted to connect my guitar to human emotions.

A monk mind practices detachment. We realize that everything—from our houses to our families—is borrowed.

Because the only thing that stays with you from the moment you’re born until the moment you die is your breath. All your friends, your family, the country you live in, all of that can change. The one thing that stays with you is your breath.

He who is overly attached to his family members experiences fear and sorrow, for the root of all grief is attachment. Thus one should discard attachment to be happy.

We’re in a tough situation because of teenage children, and then we have a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old, so my family and my responsibilities is sort of a juggle.

I believe in the institution of marriage and it’s like a tag to cement the relationship for your friends, family and public.

The first step in selflessness is to practise it with our family.

My family is my strength and my weakness.

Life doesn’t come with an instruction book; that’s why we have fathers.