---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I grow up I want to be just like…"
description: "\"When I grow up I want to be just like Benny Carter!\" — Dizzy Gillespie"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/dizzy-gillespie-18297_benny_when-i-grow-up-i-want-to-be-just-like-be_1247089.png"
---

#  When I grow up I want to be just like Benny Carter!

![“When I grow up I want to be just like Benny Carter!” quote by Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/dizzy-gillespie-18297_benny_when-i-grow-up-i-want-to-be-just-like-be_1247089.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/dizzy-gillespie-18297_benny_when-i-grow-up-i-want-to-be-just-like-be_1247089.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/dizzy-gillespie-18297_benny_when-i-grow-up-i-want-to-be-just-like-be_1247089.png)

> “When I grow up I want to be just like Benny Carter!”

[Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A youthful aspiration to emulate a master reflects admiration and the desire to inherit artistic excellence.

**In simple terms:** Wanting to be like a great musician shows respect and ambition.

Key Takeaway

Seek mentorship and study the master’s work.

Themes

aspiration musical heritage role model

Mood

inspired determined

Type

motivational educational

When to use this quote

- learning an instrument
- studying recordings
- attending masterclasses
- seeking guidance
- building a personal style

Key Concepts

imitation learning legacy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you honor a mentor while developing your own style?
- What unique contributions can you bring to the tradition?

A Different Perspective

Blind imitation can stifle originality; personal voice matters.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Benny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benny/) [Benny Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benny-carter-249855/) [Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carter/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Just Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-like/) [Like Benny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-benny-3915737/) [Married with children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/married-with-children/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/)

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[Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/)

> [I had never heard anyone play like Benny Goodman and had never seen anyone like him on the stage. I realize now that what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-seldes/i-had-never-heard-anyone-play-like-benny-goodman-and-had-never-seen/)

[Marian Seldes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-seldes/)

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> [I was totally into cartoon babes when I was a little dude. Cheetara from the 'Thundercats,' then Jessica Rabbit, and finally I moved onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-wentz/i-was-totally-into-cartoon-babes-when-i-was-a-little-dude-cheetara/)

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> [Katey Sagal, you are an incredible actress. You worked on ‘Married with Children,’ the show that changed comedy, ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ the show that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/katey-sagal-you-are-an-incredible-actress-you-worked-on-married-with/)

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[Gilbert Gottfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-gottfried/)

> [“Women: can't live with them, can't herd them all to Canada.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-bundy/women-can-t-live-with-them-can-t-herd-them-all-to-canada/)

[Al Bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-bundy/)

> [When I read the pilot for Married with Children, it just reminded me of my Uncle Joe... just a self-deprecating kind of guy. Hed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/when-i-read-the-pilot-for-married-with-children-it-just-reminded-me/)

[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

> ['Married with Children' was racy. It was sexist. It was a lot of things, but mostly it was funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katey-sagal/married-with-children-was-racy-it-was-sexist-it-was-a-lot-of-things/)

[Katey Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katey-sagal/)

## More by Dizzy Gillespie

> [Kenny Burrell is the grand master of jazz guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/kenny-burrell-is-the-grand-master-of-jazz-guitar/)

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> [They're not particular whether you're playing a flat 5th or a ruptured 129th as long as they can dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/they-re-not-particular-whether-you-re-playing-a-flat-5th-or-a/)

[Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/)

> [I try to play the bare essence, to let everything be just what it's supposed to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/i-try-to-play-the-bare-essence-to-let-everything-be-just-what-it-s/)

[Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/)

> [I used to do a lot of apologizing for what the State Department had done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/i-used-to-do-a-lot-of-apologizing-for-what-the-state-department-had/)

[Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/)

> [Bop is at the end of the road. Now everybody wants dance music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/bop-is-at-the-end-of-the-road-now-everybody-wants-dance-music/)

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[Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/)

> [As a musician you have to keep one foot back in the past and have one foot forward into the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/as-a-musician-you-have-to-keep-one-foot-back-in-the-past-and-have-one/)

[Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/)

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> [One of the reasons we're here is to be a part of this process of exchange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/one-of-the-reasons-we-re-here-is-to-be-a-part-of-this-process-of/)

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> [Miles got a mystique about him-plus he's at the top of his profession. And he's got way, way, way more money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/miles-got-a-mystique-about-him-plus-he-s-at-the-top-of-his-profession/)

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[Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/)

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[Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/)

> [There are a lot of great players... a lot of great players around, but Louie Bellson is really something special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/there-are-a-lot-of-great-players-a-lot-of-great-players-around-but/)

[Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/)

[Explore all 35 Dizzy Gillespie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/)

## More Benny quotes

> [Stand-up comedy is a very hard thing on the spirit. There are people who transcend it, like Jack Benny and Steve Martin, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-nichols/stand-up-comedy-is-a-very-hard-thing-on-the-spirit-there-are-people/)

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[Kirk Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-franklin/)

> [“... she threw herself in his arms and laid a hot, wet one on him. They went at it to catcalls, shouts of encouragement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/she-threw-herself-in-his-arms-and-laid-a-hot-wet-one-on-him-they-went/)

[Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/)

> [People call me Benny. And as long as they put Benedict on my paycheck, I don't care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-wong/people-call-me-benny-and-as-long-as-they-put-benedict-on-my-paycheck/)

[Benedict Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-wong/)

> [When television began, it modeled itself after radio. Many early television programs were radio programs first. 'My Favorite Wife,' 'The Jack Benny Show,' 'Burns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gerrold/when-television-began-it-modeled-itself-after-radio-many-early/)

[David Gerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gerrold/)

> [Benny was awake again. Happened every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/benny-was-awake-again-happened-every-morning/)

[Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/)

> [Jack Benny was a very warm person and a very appreciative person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurl-ravenscroft/jack-benny-was-a-very-warm-person-and-a-very-appreciative-person/)

[Thurl Ravenscroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurl-ravenscroft/)

> [When I was a kid, we didn't eat in restaurants much, but a good report card meant my sister or I could choose anyplace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosecrans-baldwin/when-i-was-a-kid-we-didn-t-eat-in-restaurants-much-but-a-good-report/)

[Rosecrans Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosecrans-baldwin/)

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[William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/)

> [Jack Benny really liked my book. I know because he called me up from the library and told me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/jack-benny-really-liked-my-book-i-know-because-he-called-me-up-from/)

[Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/)

> [“Now go to sleep with the promise of me, and tomorrow I'll make certain I do somethin' to fulfill it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/now-go-to-sleep-with-the-promise-of-me-and-tomorrow-i-ll-make-certain/)

[Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/)

> [I love Glenn Gould. Max Steiner. John Williams. Louis Prima. Benny Goodman. Miles Davis. John Philip Sousa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-giacchino/i-love-glenn-gould-max-steiner-john-williams-louis-prima-benny/)

[Michael Giacchino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-giacchino/)

> [I love Benny Hill. He one of my favourites of aaall time. Like, the way Benny did it, he was just amazing. Just seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-love-benny-hill-he-one-of-my-favourites-of-aaall-time-like-the-way/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [Hip-hop means everything to Benny The Butcher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-the-butcher/hip-hop-means-everything-to-benny-the-butcher/)

[Benny the Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-the-butcher/)

> [Sounded like girls. Mixed feelings on that score. He didn't despise them with the same passion he used to. In fact, Benny suspected that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/sounded-like-girls-mixed-feelings-on-that-score-he-didn-t-despise/)

[Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/)

[Browse all 57 Benny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benny/)

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