--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I got my first guitar, I played…" description: "\"When I got my first guitar, I played along with everything I heard that had guitar in it, like the Ramones, Nirvana and Sublime, as well as whatever hi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d3/gary-clark-jr-21362_firsts_when-i-got-my-first-guitar-i-played-alon_2719525.png" --- # When I got my first guitar, I played along with everything… ![“When I got my first guitar, I played along with everything I heard that had guitar in it, like the Ramones, Nirvana and Sublime, as well as whatever hip-hop and R&B stuff was on the radio.” quote by Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d3/gary-clark-jr-21362_firsts_when-i-got-my-first-guitar-i-played-alon_2719525.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d3/gary-clark-jr-21362_firsts_when-i-got-my-first-guitar-i-played-alon_2719525.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d3/gary-clark-jr-21362_firsts_when-i-got-my-first-guitar-i-played-alon_2719525.png) > “When I got my first guitar, I played along with everything I heard that had guitar in it, like the Ramones, Nirvana and Sublime, as well as whatever hip-hop and R&B stuff was on the radio.” [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early musical immersion led to diverse genre influences shaping a unique style. **In simple terms:** Early exposure shapes musical style. Key Takeaway Explore varied influences. Themes music growth influence Mood creative reflective Type musical inspirational When to use this quote - learning instruments - songwriting - performance Key Concepts Creative development genre blending Questions to Reflect On - How do diverse sounds shape your art? - What balance between influence and originality? A Different Perspective Risk of losing personal voice amid many influences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Radio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radio/) [Sublime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sublime/) ## Related quotes > [My ex-wife was trying to be nice once, so she took me to a concert in Los Angeles. 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I played the bass because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/when-i-was-in-a-band-after-high-school-and-in-college-i-didn-t-even/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [I heard the Beatles and the Stones, and Mom bought me an electric guitar. I played lead for four years and then switched to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-hughes/i-heard-the-beatles-and-the-stones-and-mom-bought-me-an-electric/) [Glenn Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-hughes/) > [I was just a music lover who wondered what it would sound like if Otis Redding strapped on a guitar and played in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-booker/i-was-just-a-music-lover-who-wondered-what-it-would-sound-like-if/) [Benjamin Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-booker/) > [When I was first getting into the guitar, I played it incessantly. I lived it, breathed it, ate it, and slept it. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/when-i-was-first-getting-into-the-guitar-i-played-it-incessantly-i/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [I actually played guitar before I played drums. And I always play guitar on the Slipknot albums as well, as well as being responsible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-jordison/i-actually-played-guitar-before-i-played-drums-and-i-always-play/) [Joey Jordison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-jordison/) > [I had been playing single note instruments and I wanted to hear a guitar played as a piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-kottke/i-had-been-playing-single-note-instruments-and-i-wanted-to-hear-a/) [Leo Kottke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-kottke/) > [My dad didn't want me to play guitar. He played piano, so I chose that. And I ended up loving it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-degraw/my-dad-didn-t-want-me-to-play-guitar-he-played-piano-so-i-chose-that/) [Gavin DeGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-degraw/) > [A guitar being played by an actual person is never going to be as precise and perfect as a programmed synthesizer. But we maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bellamy/a-guitar-being-played-by-an-actual-person-is-never-going-to-be-as/) [Matt Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bellamy/) > [It was 1988, I believe, that I met Grit. We were both appearing in a Canadian Folk Festival and as we sat backstage he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-chapin/it-was-1988-i-believe-that-i-met-grit-we-were-both-appearing-in-a/) [Tom Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-chapin/) > [I play mostly guitar, and I played drums in my brother's band for a while growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-criss/i-play-mostly-guitar-and-i-played-drums-in-my-brother-s-band-for-a/) [Darren Criss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-criss/) > [I never knew I was a songwriter. I didn't even know I was a singer. My parents just got me a guitar 'cause my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dion-dimucci/i-never-knew-i-was-a-songwriter-i-didn-t-even-know-i-was-a-singer-my/) [Dion DiMucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dion-dimucci/) > [Around seventh grade, I got a guitar and forgot everything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-cosmos/around-seventh-grade-i-got-a-guitar-and-forgot-everything-else/) [Frankie Cosmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-cosmos/) ## More by Gary Clark, Jr > [I've been called 'musically schizophrenic,' and some people think that's a cool thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/i-ve-been-called-musically-schizophrenic-and-some-people-think-that-s/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [My mom always told me I should have a Plan B. I said that if I'm not going to play guitar I'm going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/my-mom-always-told-me-i-should-have-a-plan-b-i-said-that-if-i-m-not/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [There's nothing like a music festival. People are ready to have a good time. I don't think anyone comes to a festival going, 'I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/there-s-nothing-like-a-music-festival-people-are-ready-to-have-a-good/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [When I was growing up, I would go hang out with older guys at night in blues clubs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/when-i-was-growing-up-i-would-go-hang-out-with-older-guys-at-night-in/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [You could say I'm a laid-back kind of guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/you-could-say-i-m-a-laid-back-kind-of-guy/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [I'm obsessed with fuzz pedals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/i-m-obsessed-with-fuzz-pedals/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [I grew up being a huge fan of Bruce Lee, and this quote always stuck out to me. He said, "Water can flow, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/i-grew-up-being-a-huge-fan-of-bruce-lee-and-this-quote-always-stuck/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [You're gonna know my name by the end of the night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/you-re-gonna-know-my-name-by-the-end-of-the-night/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [I don't think anything can touch the expressive range of the guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/i-don-t-think-anything-can-touch-the-expressive-range-of-the-guitar/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [I never expected to be approached for an ad campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/i-never-expected-to-be-approached-for-an-ad-campaign/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [Music is soaking up things that I see in other people or things that go on in my life, and I put it out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/music-is-soaking-up-things-that-i-see-in-other-people-or-things-that/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [There's so much music in Austin, and it's all so different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/there-s-so-much-music-in-austin-and-it-s-all-so-different/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [I opened up my mind as far as playing music. I was at a Cody Chesnutt concert a few years ago, and a friend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/i-opened-up-my-mind-as-far-as-playing-music-i-was-at-a-cody-chesnutt/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [I don't believe in competition, ain't nobody else like me around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/i-don-t-believe-in-competition-ain-t-nobody-else-like-me-around/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [I am the type of artist where you can't tell me anything. I have always been that way. I am right. I don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/i-am-the-type-of-artist-where-you-can-t-tell-me-anything-i-have/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) [Explore all 29 Gary Clark, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. 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Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) Browse all 32,432 Firsts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I got my first guitar, I played along with everything I heard that had guitar in it, like the Ramones, Nirvana and Sublime, as well as whatever hip-hop and R&B stuff was on the radio.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gary Clark, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/when-i-got-my-first-guitar-i-played-along-with-everything-i-heard/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Firsts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/when-i-got-my-first-guitar-i-played-along-with-everything-i-heard/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d3/gary-clark-jr-21362_firsts_when-i-got-my-first-guitar-i-played-alon_2719525.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d3/gary-clark-jr-21362_firsts_when-i-got-my-first-guitar-i-played-alon_2719525.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d3/gary-clark-jr-21362_firsts_when-i-got-my-first-guitar-i-played-alon_2719525.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I got my first guitar, I played along with everything I heard that had guitar in it, like the Ramones…” — Gary Clark, Jr", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gary Clark, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I got my first guitar,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/when-i-got-my-first-guitar-i-played-along-with-everything-i-heard/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/when-i-got-my-first-guitar-i-played-along-with-everything-i-heard/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```