--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Actually my biggest heroes were the R&B…" description: "\"Actually my biggest heroes were the R&B singers like Jackie Wilson and Bobby Bland and people like that.\" — B. J. Thomas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d3/b-j-thomas-5561_actually_actually-my-biggest-heroes-were-the-r-b_19450.png" --- # Actually my biggest heroes were the R&B singers like… ![“Actually my biggest heroes were the R&B singers like Jackie Wilson and Bobby Bland and people like that.” quote by B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d3/b-j-thomas-5561_actually_actually-my-biggest-heroes-were-the-r-b_19450.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d3/b-j-thomas-5561_actually_actually-my-biggest-heroes-were-the-r-b_19450.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d3/b-j-thomas-5561_actually_actually-my-biggest-heroes-were-the-r-b_19450.png) > “Actually my biggest heroes were the R&B singers like Jackie Wilson and Bobby Bland and people like that.” [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) ## 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 credits R&B vocalists as primary influences, highlighting the personal impact of their music and artistry. **In simple terms:** R&B singers shaped his admiration. Key Takeaway Music can define personal heroes. Themes Music influence Cultural heritage Personal identity Artistic inspiration Legacy Mood Nostalgic Inspirational Type Personal anecdote Cultural observation When to use this quote - Choosing role models - Exploring musical roots - Discussing artistic impact Key Concepts R&B genre Vocal performance Cultural icons Practical Applications - Music education curricula - Cultural documentaries Questions to Reflect On - What qualities make an artist a hero? - How does music shape personal values? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Singers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singers/) ## Related quotes > [I grew up with the Grand Ole Opry on the radio, but when I was about 12 or 13, I fell in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/i-grew-up-with-the-grand-ole-opry-on-the-radio-but-when-i-was-about/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [My idol was Jackie Wilson, and I toured with James Brown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/my-idol-was-jackie-wilson-and-i-toured-with-james-brown/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [Soldiers are the biggest heroes. No one can be a bigger hero than them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nana-patekar/soldiers-are-the-biggest-heroes-no-one-can-be-a-bigger-hero-than-them/) [Nana Patekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nana-patekar/) > [Jackie Wilson said it was Reet-Petite, kind of love you got knock me off my feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/jackie-wilson-said-it-was-reet-petite-kind-of-love-you-got-knock-me/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [My brothers and I had a gospel quartet, and that was the only music people listened to. But I was already gravitating towards songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-green/my-brothers-and-i-had-a-gospel-quartet-and-that-was-the-only-music/) [Al Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-green/) > [One of my earliest memories is seeing the bright blue, Epic 45 of Jackie Wilson singing 'Higher and Higher,' and I'd say, 'That one!'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bronagh-gallagher/one-of-my-earliest-memories-is-seeing-the-bright-blue-epic-45-of/) [Bronagh Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bronagh-gallagher/) > [My first concert makes me sound like a real old man. My very first concert was Jackie Wilson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-murphy/my-first-concert-makes-me-sound-like-a-real-old-man-my-very-first/) [Eddie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-murphy/) > [Two of my biggest heroes were my father and John Wayne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-ramone/two-of-my-biggest-heroes-were-my-father-and-john-wayne/) [Johnny Ramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-ramone/) > [One of my biggest heroes and people I was fortunate enough to be around is David Bowie. I look at his career, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/one-of-my-biggest-heroes-and-people-i-was-fortunate-enough-to-be/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [I think, though, the biggest heroes in my life would have been both my mother and father. My father because he was very brave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-stroman/i-think-though-the-biggest-heroes-in-my-life-would-have-been-both-my/) [Susan Stroman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-stroman/) > [Even the biggest heroes turn into cowards when they get tired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/even-the-biggest-heroes-turn-into-cowards-when-they-get-tired/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [My dad's one of my biggest heroes. I also think Paul Newman's an inspiration. I know a lot of people say that, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-pettyfer/my-dad-s-one-of-my-biggest-heroes-i-also-think-paul-newman-s-an/) [Alex Pettyfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-pettyfer/) > [Simultaneously, my two biggest heroes are Susan Sontag and Morticia Addams from 'The Addams Family.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/simultaneously-my-two-biggest-heroes-are-susan-sontag-and-morticia/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [Well, that's the old story I heard about the Jackie Chan films. That, like, Jackie Chan will just keep going and when crew members…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-michelle-gellar/well-that-s-the-old-story-i-heard-about-the-jackie-chan-films-that/) [Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-michelle-gellar/) > [“Although she’s miles away, still I remember spending that December, staring at the sounds she made with her breath. And when I asked what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentine-xavier/although-she-s-miles-away-still-i-remember-spending-that-december/) Valentine Xavier ## More by B. J. Thomas > [My dad, God bless him, had his problems and transferred them over to me. He was a huge hero to me, and I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/my-dad-god-bless-him-had-his-problems-and-transferred-them-over-to-me/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [Raindrops' is an American song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/raindrops-is-an-american-song/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining, because I'm free, nothing's worrying me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/i-m-never-gonna-stop-the-rain-by-complaining-because-i-m-free-nothing/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [I want my music to have a positive effect on people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/i-want-my-music-to-have-a-positive-effect-on-people/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [I'm an upbeat person, especially when I'm onstage and when I'm involved with my music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/i-m-an-upbeat-person-especially-when-i-m-onstage-and-when-i-m/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [I don't care if people know I'm spiritual, but I'm just a regular guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/i-don-t-care-if-people-know-i-m-spiritual-but-i-m-just-a-regular-guy/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [Is 'Raindrops' a country song? I think it's a little bit of a stretch, but OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/is-raindrops-a-country-song-i-think-it-s-a-little-bit-of-a-stretch/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [I was attracted to music when I was very young. I got in my first band when I was 15, so that's all I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/i-was-attracted-to-music-when-i-was-very-young-i-got-in-my-first-band/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [My Dad was just a working man. He was a good man and he loved music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/my-dad-was-just-a-working-man-he-was-a-good-man-and-he-loved-music/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [My Christian faith has sustained me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/my-christian-faith-has-sustained-me/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [I knew all about religion all my life; it just never was real to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/i-knew-all-about-religion-all-my-life-it-just-never-was-real-to-me/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [Joining the Opry is a dream-come-true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/joining-the-opry-is-a-dream-come-true/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [The only songs I would learn were songs that moved me emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/the-only-songs-i-would-learn-were-songs-that-moved-me-emotionally/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [I'm not a traditional country artist, but I do think I'm in the tradition of people like Jim Reeves and Marty Robbins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/i-m-not-a-traditional-country-artist-but-i-do-think-i-m-in-the/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [I never put my heart into anything I don't believe in, or can't feel personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/i-never-put-my-heart-into-anything-i-don-t-believe-in-or-can-t-feel/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) [Explore all 100 B. J. Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) ## More Actually quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Failure actually makes you strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/failure-actually-makes-you-strong/) [Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. 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Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [I actually do sing sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morten-harket/i-actually-do-sing-sometimes/) [Morten Harket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morten-harket/) > [I've actually got quite a good memory. I've good recall. 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