--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How would you define [Bob] Dylan? You…" description: "\"How would you define [Bob] Dylan? You can't. That's a true artist. How about Ray Charles? Can you classify Ray Charles? No, you can't. He's just great,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/george-thorogood-10443_art_how-would-you-define-bob-dylan-you-can-t_2300546.jpg" --- # How would you define \[Bob\] Dylan? You can't. That's a true… ![“How would you define [Bob] Dylan? You can't. That's a true artist. How about Ray Charles? Can you classify Ray Charles? No, you can't. He's just great, period.” quote by George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/george-thorogood-10443_art_how-would-you-define-bob-dylan-you-can-t_2300546.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/george-thorogood-10443_art_how-would-you-define-bob-dylan-you-can-t_2300546.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/george-thorogood-10443_art_how-would-you-define-bob-dylan-you-can-t_2300546.jpg) > “How would you define \[Bob\] Dylan? You can't. That's a true artist. How about Ray Charles? Can you classify Ray Charles? No, you can't. He's just great, period.” [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True artistry defies categorization; greatness is felt, not defined. **In simple terms:** Great artists can’t be boxed. Key Takeaway Appreciate art without labeling. Themes art greatness definition Mood conversational reflective Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - music criticism - art education - personal taste - genre blending Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy creative freedom Questions to Reflect On - Can you appreciate art without any labels? - What value do categories bring to understanding? A Different Perspective Labels can help audiences discover new work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Bob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bob/) [Bob dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bob-dylan/) [Charles Classify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charles-classify-5436813/) [Classify Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classify-ray-5436812/) [Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dylan/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Ray charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ray-charles/) [Rays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rays/) [True artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-artist/) [True artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-artists/) ## Related quotes > [You listen to Bob Dylan and you can't help but think of the 60s, it's very relational and if artists are true artists and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serj-tankian/you-listen-to-bob-dylan-and-you-can-t-help-but-think-of-the-60s-it-s/) [Serj Tankian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serj-tankian/) > [Every artist, true artist, struggles with an overwhelming sense of feeling like you're not worthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/every-artist-true-artist-struggles-with-an-overwhelming-sense-of/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [A true artist does not depend on radio for success. A true fan does not let radio determine what they support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/a-true-artist-does-not-depend-on-radio-for-success-a-true-fan-does/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [“True artists do not create to fish for compliments and praises. They create to express the love they have for their craft.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/true-artists-do-not-create-to-fish-for-compliments-and-praises-they/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [True artists pursue greatness in craft in order to give the Lord the best fruit of the talent He has given them, not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-peacock/true-artists-pursue-greatness-in-craft-in-order-to-give-the-lord-the/) [Charlie Peacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-peacock/) > [“True artists unburden their envies and work toward encouraging amateurs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aniruddha-sastikar/true-artists-unburden-their-envies-and-work-toward-encouraging/) [Aniruddha Sastikar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aniruddha-sastikar/) > [A true artist should have no secrets. On the stage, you must be able to transmit every emotion to the spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-pavlova/a-true-artist-should-have-no-secrets-on-the-stage-you-must-be-able-to/) [Anna Pavlova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-pavlova/) > [“True artists know how to cut their subjects open and bleed them onto the canvas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-sedoti/true-artists-know-how-to-cut-their-subjects-open-and-bleed-them-onto/) [Chelsea Sedoti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-sedoti/) > [ Transforming leadership, \[is defined as\] leadership that builds on man's need for meaning, leadership that creates institutional purpose ... he is the value-shaper, the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/transforming-leadership-is-defined-as-leadership-that-builds-on-man-s/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Art was not created as a way to riches. Strive to become a true artist; all else will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-schumann/art-was-not-created-as-a-way-to-riches-strive-to-become-a-true-artist/) [Robert Schumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-schumann/) > [If you practice for ten years, you may begin to please yourself, after 20 years you may become a performer and please the audience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-akbar-khan/if-you-practice-for-ten-years-you-may-begin-to-please-yourself-after/) [Ali Akbar Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-akbar-khan/) > [“I've had people come up to me with the strangest interpretations of what my lyrics might mean, and I'm like, "You go! I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serj-tankian/i-ve-had-people-come-up-to-me-with-the-strangest-interpretations-of/) [Serj Tankian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serj-tankian/) > [True artists are prophets. I don't want to be that prophetic in that sense because it's so lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/true-artists-are-prophets-i-don-t-want-to-be-that-prophetic-in-that/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [I see a lot of true artists... then you see them on the cover of Maxim. That's the lowest of low to me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheyenne-kimball/i-see-a-lot-of-true-artists-then-you-see-them-on-the-cover-of-maxim/) [Cheyenne Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheyenne-kimball/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/) [Fernando Bujones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-bujones/) ## More by George Thorogood > [I wanted to write songs that were as good as the covers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/i-wanted-to-write-songs-that-were-as-good-as-the-covers/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [ The \[2012 covers album\] 2120 \[South Michigan Ave.\] was different. We covered a lot of classics there. But most of the time when we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/the-2012-covers-album-2120-south-michigan-ave-was-different-we/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [I knew I had the right material and I knew what I was going after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/i-knew-i-had-the-right-material-and-i-knew-what-i-was-going-after/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [Whatever title you want to lay on me is fine. I am still working; you know what I'm saying?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/whatever-title-you-want-to-lay-on-me-is-fine-i-am-still-working-you/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [You can't rely on luck. I've had some stages in my career where I've said we're going to wing it, and we've always ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/you-can-t-rely-on-luck-i-ve-had-some-stages-in-my-career-where-i-ve/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [Radio is paid by advertising. They decide what songs to play that'll keep people listening. And that's what promoters and the Classic Rock people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/radio-is-paid-by-advertising-they-decide-what-songs-to-play-that-ll/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [Classic Rock radio gave us our longevity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/classic-rock-radio-gave-us-our-longevity/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [I hate categories. Hank Williams is a great artist, period. Bob Dylan is a great artist, so is Marty Robbins. They just classify these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/i-hate-categories-hank-williams-is-a-great-artist-period-bob-dylan-is/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [I saw the movie Sid & Nancy. It was a pretty good movie. It didn't really make me a punk rock fan. But anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/i-saw-the-movie-sid-nancy-it-was-a-pretty-good-movie-it-didn-t-really/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [Rock and roll never sleeps. It just passes out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/rock-and-roll-never-sleeps-it-just-passes-out/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [Did I think it would last 30 years? No, I didn't think it would have those kind of legs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/did-i-think-it-would-last-30-years-no-i-didn-t-think-it-would-have/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [Not to this extent but from day one I had an awful lot of confidence when I got started.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/not-to-this-extent-but-from-day-one-i-had-an-awful-lot-of-confidence/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [The other day I got invited to a party, but I stayed home instead. Just me and my pal Johnny Walker and his brothers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/the-other-day-i-got-invited-to-a-party-but-i-stayed-home-instead-just/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [I'm talking like 10, 12 years old. Either junior brings Mom and Pop or Mom and Pop bring the kids. I'm talking young here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/i-m-talking-like-10-12-years-old-either-junior-brings-mom-and-pop-or/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [ After the Ed Sullivan Show, Feb. 9, 1964, at approx. 8:04pm \[laughs\], after that moment every album, every guitar, evey set of drums that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/after-the-ed-sullivan-show-feb-9-1964-at-approx-8-04pm-laughs-after/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) [Explore all 65 George Thorogood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How would you define [Bob] Dylan? You can't. That's a true artist. How about Ray Charles? Can you classify Ray Charles? No, you can't. He's just great, period.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Thorogood" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/how-would-you-define-bob-dylan-you-can-t-that-s-a-true-artist-how/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/how-would-you-define-bob-dylan-you-can-t-that-s-a-true-artist-how/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/george-thorogood-10443_art_how-would-you-define-bob-dylan-you-can-t_2300546.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/george-thorogood-10443_art_how-would-you-define-bob-dylan-you-can-t_2300546.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e9/george-thorogood-10443_art_how-would-you-define-bob-dylan-you-can-t_2300546.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How would you define [Bob] Dylan? You can't. That's a true artist. How about Ray Charles? Can you classify…” — George Thorogood", "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": "George Thorogood", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How would you define [Bob] Dylan?...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/how-would-you-define-bob-dylan-you-can-t-that-s-a-true-artist-how/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/how-would-you-define-bob-dylan-you-can-t-that-s-a-true-artist-how/#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 } } ] } ```