--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a ukulele when I was about seven…" description: "\"I had a ukulele when I was about seven. Then I started playing around with the mandolin and the banjo.\" — Dickey Betts" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/dickey-betts-17843_around_i-had-a-ukulele-when-i-was-about-seven-t_2818302.jpg" --- # I had a ukulele when I was about seven. Then I started… ![“I had a ukulele when I was about seven. Then I started playing around with the mandolin and the banjo.” quote by Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/dickey-betts-17843_around_i-had-a-ukulele-when-i-was-about-seven-t_2818302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/dickey-betts-17843_around_i-had-a-ukulele-when-i-was-about-seven-t_2818302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/dickey-betts-17843_around_i-had-a-ukulele-when-i-was-about-seven-t_2818302.jpg) > “I had a ukulele when I was about seven. Then I started playing around with the mandolin and the banjo.” [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early exposure to multiple string instruments sparked curiosity, leading to skill development across ukulele, mandolin, and banjo. **In simple terms:** Playing different instruments as a child fostered musical growth. Key Takeaway Explore varied instruments to broaden musical abilities. Themes musical development curiosity skill acquisition Mood enthusiastic inspired Type advice musical When to use this quote - learning new instruments - family jam sessions - school music programs - personal practice routines Key Concepts instrumental versatility creative exploration Questions to Reflect On - Which instrument could you start learning now? - How does switching instruments influence creativity? A Different Perspective Time and resources may limit trying many instruments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Banjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/banjo/) [Mandolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mandolin-515147/) [Mandolin Banjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mandolin-banjo-3570406/) [Playing around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-around/) [Seven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seven/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Ukulele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ukulele/) [Ukulele Seven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ukulele-seven-3570405/) ## Related quotes > [I also play fiddle, banjo and mandolin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-burgess/i-also-play-fiddle-banjo-and-mandolin/) [Sonny Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-burgess/) > [My dad also plays a little banjo and guitar, my mom plays the mandolin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/page-mcconnell/my-dad-also-plays-a-little-banjo-and-guitar-my-mom-plays-the-mandolin/) [Page McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/page-mcconnell/) > [As I try to get around with a guitar, a banjo and a suitcase of high heels and dresses, I treasure that little ukulele.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-june/as-i-try-to-get-around-with-a-guitar-a-banjo-and-a-suitcase-of-high/) [Valerie June](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-june/) > [My daddy had been a fiddler, and I heard a lot of fiddle music as a child. I had a ukulele and had played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/my-daddy-had-been-a-fiddler-and-i-heard-a-lot-of-fiddle-music-as-a/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [The Mandolin is the bottom four strings of the guitar, backwards...so a person with dyslexia has no problem learning to play the Mandolin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodman/the-mandolin-is-the-bottom-four-strings-of-the-guitar-backwards-so-a/) [Steve Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodman/) > [I learned how to play mandolin for 'A Mighty Wind!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-posey/i-learned-how-to-play-mandolin-for-a-mighty-wind/) [Parker Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-posey/) > [I use both instruments with their strengths in mind. Mandolin - no sustain and attack of the right hand, for rhythm. Fiddle - use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-bush/i-use-both-instruments-with-their-strengths-in-mind-mandolin-no/) [Sam Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-bush/) > [There's something cool about playing 'Tempted' and then picking up the mandolin and playing 'Dark as a Dungeon' and standing on the classics. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-stuart/there-s-something-cool-about-playing-tempted-and-then-picking-up-the/) [Marty Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-stuart/) > [I was two years old when I saw the mandolin for the first time, and I just loved it. I just loved the sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-thile/i-was-two-years-old-when-i-saw-the-mandolin-for-the-first-time-and-i/) [Chris Thile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-thile/) > [I don't know how it got around that I play a lot of instruments. I really don't. I play the guitar and the mandolin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-stuart/i-don-t-know-how-it-got-around-that-i-play-a-lot-of-instruments-i/) [Marty Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-stuart/) > [“mandolin that made Conner jump. “She predicts his future,  And curses his enemies,  With devilish concoctions, She heals his injuries.”  “Great,” Conner”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/mandolin-that-made-conner-jump-she-predicts-his-future-and-curses-his/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [It's very hard to make grand, romantic gestures on a mandolin, and there are times, particularly when playing Bach, that you long for just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-thile/it-s-very-hard-to-make-grand-romantic-gestures-on-a-mandolin-and/) [Chris Thile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-thile/) > [Shrinivas anna was my guru. I don't know how many of them know this, but I started off learning the mandolin from him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devi-sri-prasad/shrinivas-anna-was-my-guru-i-don-t-know-how-many-of-them-know-this/) [Devi Sri Prasad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devi-sri-prasad/) > [I'm a farmer with a mandolin and a high tenor voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-monroe/i-m-a-farmer-with-a-mandolin-and-a-high-tenor-voice/) [Bill Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-monroe/) > [At the age of nine, playing the violin at school, and then onto the mandolin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-redding/at-the-age-of-nine-playing-the-violin-at-school-and-then-onto-the/) [Noel Redding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-redding/) ## More by Dickey Betts > [I'm influenced by Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelly, Roland Kirk, John Coltrane, B.B. King, and then by bluegrass. But when I was 16, bluegrass wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/i-m-influenced-by-django-reinhardt-stephane-grappelly-roland-kirk/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > ['Seven Turns' was a tough album because we knew that the critics would use it to determine whether or not we should have remained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/seven-turns-was-a-tough-album-because-we-knew-that-the-critics-would/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [When I was a kid in school, and you asked me what I was gonna be, I mean, even as a little first grader,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/when-i-was-a-kid-in-school-and-you-asked-me-what-i-was-gonna-be-i/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [Sometimes arguments get publicized so much that it gets blown all the hell out of proportion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/sometimes-arguments-get-publicized-so-much-that-it-gets-blown-all-the/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [My daddy had been a fiddler, and I heard a lot of fiddle music as a child. I had a ukulele and had played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/my-daddy-had-been-a-fiddler-and-i-heard-a-lot-of-fiddle-music-as-a/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [I grew up in South Florida, and my family was pretty poor. We weren't your upper-class whites by any means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/i-grew-up-in-south-florida-and-my-family-was-pretty-poor-we-weren-t/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [Some people take me as being a rowdy, honky-tonk hero type. Some people see me as a quiet person. I guess I can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/some-people-take-me-as-being-a-rowdy-honky-tonk-hero-type-some-people/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [Anytime I'm playing music or getting ready to record, Duane Allman will enter my thoughts, and so will Berry Oakley. It's part of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/anytime-i-m-playing-music-or-getting-ready-to-record-duane-allman/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [The thing with Berry and Duane and the rest of us in the original Allman Brothers seemed to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing. When Duane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/the-thing-with-berry-and-duane-and-the-rest-of-us-in-the-original/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [Our tunes aren't just sing-along tunes: they're very complex. After a few days of that, you gotta take a break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/our-tunes-aren-t-just-sing-along-tunes-they-re-very-complex-after-a/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [I've written some songs that are pretty scary, but 'Jessica,' 'Ramblin' Man,' and 'Blue Sky' are happy songs. That's the way I wrote them:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/i-ve-written-some-songs-that-are-pretty-scary-but-jessica-ramblin-man/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [I'm sure you have arguments with your friends, but they don't get printed up and magnified in the papers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/i-m-sure-you-have-arguments-with-your-friends-but-they-don-t-get/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [I kind of question whether to say this or not, but it's almost like the Allman Brothers turned into an Allman Brothers tribute band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/i-kind-of-question-whether-to-say-this-or-not-but-it-s-almost-like/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [In rock n' roll music, you almost have to apologize for being around more than four or five years. I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/in-rock-n-roll-music-you-almost-have-to-apologize-for-being-around/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [I don't have to do Gregg Allman songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/i-don-t-have-to-do-gregg-allman-songs/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) [Explore all 36 Dickey Betts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) ## More Around 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. 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I guess what is fun about this role in 'Suburgatory' is that there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-guess-i-m-attracted-to-things-that-are-fun-i-guess-what-is-fun/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [When I was a teen, I would draw a really, really long line around my eyes with eyeliner, like Lola Flores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia/when-i-was-a-teen-i-would-draw-a-really-really-long-line-around-my/) [Rosalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia/) > [I think the issues around diversity of all kinds are really a huge problem in the startup world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/i-think-the-issues-around-diversity-of-all-kinds-are-really-a-huge/) [Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [I can look around a room and tell you if there are hidden cameras or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ash/i-can-look-around-a-room-and-tell-you-if-there-are-hidden-cameras-or/) [Lauren Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ash/) > [You couldn't get me to go travel around and sit in a hotel room again. I have no interest in doing that. 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