--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first time I ever heard the blues, my…" description: "\"The first time I ever heard the blues, my parents had a stack of records that they weren't using anymore. I found them when I was ten; I didn't know wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/ato-essandoh-14328_blues_the-first-time-i-ever-heard-the-blues-my_2253184.jpg" --- # The first time I ever heard the blues, my parents had a… ![“The first time I ever heard the blues, my parents had a stack of records that they weren't using anymore. I found them when I was ten; I didn't know what it was. But I found Lightnin' Hopkins.” quote by Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/ato-essandoh-14328_blues_the-first-time-i-ever-heard-the-blues-my_2253184.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/ato-essandoh-14328_blues_the-first-time-i-ever-heard-the-blues-my_2253184.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/ato-essandoh-14328_blues_the-first-time-i-ever-heard-the-blues-my_2253184.jpg) > “The first time I ever heard the blues, my parents had a stack of records that they weren't using anymore. I found them when I was ten; I didn't know what it was. But I found Lightnin' Hopkins.” [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker recounts discovering blues music as a child, highlighting curiosity and cultural exposure. **In simple terms:** Found blues music as a kid. Key Takeaway Explore new interests and let curiosity guide you. Themes discovery music heritage Mood nostalgic inquisitive Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - music education - family storytelling - archival research Key Concepts cultural transmission personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What hidden gems might you uncover? - How does early exposure shape tastes? A Different Perspective Access to diverse media may be limited for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blues/) [Blues Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blues-parents-4913277/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Heard Blues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard-blues-1200407/) [Lightnin Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lightnin-hopkins-3456794/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Records Weren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records-weren-2982606/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I'd go over to friends' houses and ask them to put on some Howlin' Wolf, and they wouldn't know what I was talking about.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dusty-hill/i-d-go-over-to-friends-houses-and-ask-them-to-put-on-some-howlin-wolf/) [Dusty Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dusty-hill/) > [“I've never met God, but I've heard the blues.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mutti-clark/i-ve-never-met-god-but-i-ve-heard-the-blues/) [David Mutti Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mutti-clark/) > [I look at John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters, guys who had a fantastic longevity, and I learned something from them. They didn't try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rodgers/i-look-at-john-lee-hooker-and-muddy-waters-guys-who-had-a-fantastic/) [Paul Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rodgers/) > [Our records, if you have a dark sense of humor, were funny, but our records weren't about comedy. They were about protests, fantasy, confrontation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/our-records-if-you-have-a-dark-sense-of-humor-were-funny-but-our/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [I'm a touring artist - I love going out and playing live, and I was sick of making records didn't translate well live -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-carey/i-m-a-touring-artist-i-love-going-out-and-playing-live-and-i-was-sick/) [Todd Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-carey/) > [ZZ Top did get a chance to play with Lightnin' Hopkins and Jimmy Reed, there's still that one, single song we just can't shake...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-gibbons/zz-top-did-get-a-chance-to-play-with-lightnin-hopkins-and-jimmy-reed/) [Billy Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-gibbons/) > [If I could sing and play like Lightnin' Hopkins, I would.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dion-dimucci/if-i-could-sing-and-play-like-lightnin-hopkins-i-would/) [Dion DiMucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dion-dimucci/) > [Lightnin' Hopkins was something of a fixture on the Houston coffee house scene so we were witness to eccentric blues brilliance close up. Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-gibbons/lightnin-hopkins-was-something-of-a-fixture-on-the-houston-coffee/) [Billy Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-gibbons/) > [... Lightnin' Hopkins taught us, "the rubber on a wheel is faster than the rubber on a heel" and Muddy Waters taught us "you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lightnin-hopkins-taught-us-the-rubber-on-a-wheel-is-faster-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had heard blues and jazz all my life but I was never aware that it was associated with nightclubs and drinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/i-had-heard-blues-and-jazz-all-my-life-but-i-was-never-aware-that-it/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [I call myself a blues singer, but you ain't never heard me call myself a blues guitar man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/i-call-myself-a-blues-singer-but-you-ain-t-never-heard-me-call-myself/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) > [You ain't heard of me, then you should go and get a blues clue; oops I mean a red clue, Wayne's here; Suwoo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/you-ain-t-heard-of-me-then-you-should-go-and-get-a-blues-clue-oops-i/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [You've heard me call myself a bluesman and a blues singer. I call myself a blues singer, but you ain't never heard me call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/you-ve-heard-me-call-myself-a-bluesman-and-a-blues-singer-i-call/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) > [I met Paul Kossoff for the first time when I was playing in the back of a pub room in Finsbury Park in London…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rodgers/i-met-paul-kossoff-for-the-first-time-when-i-was-playing-in-the-back/) [Paul Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rodgers/) > [If they played more blues, people would just get it - they try to hold it back but just about can't hold it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lee-hooker/if-they-played-more-blues-people-would-just-get-it-they-try-to-hold/) [John Lee Hooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lee-hooker/) ## More by Ato Essandoh > [Just the little bit that I've learned about Judaism, I didn't realize how, dare I say, intense that religion is as far as all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/just-the-little-bit-that-i-ve-learned-about-judaism-i-didn-t-realize/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [Macklemore gets a Grammy over Kendrick Lamar. I still can't get over that. But again, it's not Macklemore's fault. It's the way of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/macklemore-gets-a-grammy-over-kendrick-lamar-i-still-can-t-get-over/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [I was a chemical engineer in school. And, randomly, an ex-girlfriend dared me to do a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/i-was-a-chemical-engineer-in-school-and-randomly-an-ex-girlfriend/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [When you're a guest star on a movie or a TV show, I always say it's like being invited to a family reunion, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/when-you-re-a-guest-star-on-a-movie-or-a-tv-show-i-always-say-it-s/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [If you're going to sign a contract, there are things you have to understand you might have to do. If you don't, then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/if-you-re-going-to-sign-a-contract-there-are-things-you-have-to/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > ['Copper' is my first period piece. It's funny because I've been doing a lot of episodes of 'Elementary' with Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/copper-is-my-first-period-piece-it-s-funny-because-i-ve-been-doing-a/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [Traveling, I've met Ghanaian people who have seen me in minor stuff, but they see the name Ato Essandoh, and they recognize it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/traveling-i-ve-met-ghanaian-people-who-have-seen-me-in-minor-stuff/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [It's funny because as much as I've done Dr. Freeman, I guess because I shave right afterwards, people don't recognize me necessarily as Dr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/it-s-funny-because-as-much-as-i-ve-done-dr-freeman-i-guess-because-i/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [Growing up near Scarsdale, I should have had at least one Jewish girlfriend. Maybe at some point it'll happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/growing-up-near-scarsdale-i-should-have-had-at-least-one-jewish/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [The first time I was onstage, I felt like the audience was breathing with me. I don't know if I was good or not;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/the-first-time-i-was-onstage-i-felt-like-the-audience-was-breathing/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [When 'Goodfellas' is on TNT, and they've taken out all the curse words and put Tide commercials in the middle of it, I'll still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/when-goodfellas-is-on-tnt-and-they-ve-taken-out-all-the-curse-words/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [Never would I have thought that I would meet Mick Jagger, much less be working on the same project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/never-would-i-have-thought-that-i-would-meet-mick-jagger-much-less-be/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [I never thought I'd play an orthodox Jewish man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/i-never-thought-i-d-play-an-orthodox-jewish-man/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [I was in chemical engineering at Cornell University. My girlfriend at the time dared me to do a play. I knew there was something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/i-was-in-chemical-engineering-at-cornell-university-my-girlfriend-at/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) > [Every culture feels like their parents are the most stringent as far as, "We came to this country to work hard, we want you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-essandoh/every-culture-feels-like-their-parents-are-the-most-stringent-as-far/) [Ato Essandoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) [Explore all 47 Ato Essandoh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-essandoh/) ## More Blues quotes > [If they played more blues, people would just get it - they try to hold it back but just about can't hold it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lee-hooker/if-they-played-more-blues-people-would-just-get-it-they-try-to-hold/) [John Lee Hooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lee-hooker/) > [I love Las Vegas, but I never get a chance to play a club like the House of Blues. I guess we've graduated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-walsh/i-love-las-vegas-but-i-never-get-a-chance-to-play-a-club-like-the/) [Joe Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-walsh/) > [That's the thing about the blues: It's one thing to hit a note on a guitar. To make it matter is something else altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/that-s-the-thing-about-the-blues-it-s-one-thing-to-hit-a-note-on-a/) [Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/) > [“Grits Glossary blues \\’blüz\\ n: nothing but a good man singing about hardship, sorrow, and the things he’s done wrong--but sake’s alive, they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/grits-glossary-blues-bl-z-n-nothing-but-a-good-man-singing-about/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [I guess what I like is mostly country & western or else stuff that has a real blues feel to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-guess-what-i-like-is-mostly-country-western-or-else-stuff-that-has/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [I'm a rock/blues guitar player. I'm not wanting to be a pop star or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orianthi/i-m-a-rock-blues-guitar-player-i-m-not-wanting-to-be-a-pop-star-or/) [Orianthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orianthi/) > [An element I love about the blues is jamming with other musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hoey/an-element-i-love-about-the-blues-is-jamming-with-other-musicians/) [Gary Hoey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hoey/) > [Well, I don't know how they define that. But they have this Texas blues thing blown kinda out of proportion. I am a Long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hunter/well-i-don-t-know-how-they-define-that-but-they-have-this-texas-blues/) [John Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hunter/) > [Since I was a kid, I've had an absolute obsession with particular kinds of American music. Mississippi Delta blues of the Thirties, Chicago blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/since-i-was-a-kid-i-ve-had-an-absolute-obsession-with-particular/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [James Cotton is a real blues guy, and he played with Muddy Waters, and it surprised me that they would want me to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-haden/james-cotton-is-a-real-blues-guy-and-he-played-with-muddy-waters-and/) [Charlie Haden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-haden/) > [When I discovered blues - I was 12-years-old - I didn't discover it in America where it was from; I discovered it from Fleetwood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weller/when-i-discovered-blues-i-was-12-years-old-i-didn-t-discover-it-in/) [Paul Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weller/) > [Elvis deserves a lot of credit for bringing the blues to middle America, not the Vegas stuff. The early stuff, The Sun records, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tork/elvis-deserves-a-lot-of-credit-for-bringing-the-blues-to-middle/) [Peter Tork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tork/) > [Old-school rock bands, and blues bands, too, are kind of a dying breed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-rossington/old-school-rock-bands-and-blues-bands-too-are-kind-of-a-dying-breed/) [Gary Rossington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-rossington/) > [My favorite moment of the whole thing was when John Belushi suggested that I get a hold of all the blues records I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-cropper/my-favorite-moment-of-the-whole-thing-was-when-john-belushi-suggested/) [Steve Cropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-cropper/) > [I listened to King Oliver and I listened to Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Archie Shepp... I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-listened-to-king-oliver-and-i-listened-to-louis-armstrong-jelly/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) [Browse all 1,026 Blues quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blues/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first time I ever heard the blues, my parents had a stack of records that they weren't using anymore. I found them when I was ten; I didn't know what it was. 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