--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I begin, let me say right here and…" description: "\"Before I begin, let me say right here and now that I'm a country boy. And, man, I mean the real backwoods! That's at the start of the start of the thin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a1/ray-charles-6406_backwoods_before-i-begin-let-me-say-right-here-and_1919997.jpg" --- # Before I begin, let me say right here and now that I'm a… ![“Before I begin, let me say right here and now that I'm a country boy. And, man, I mean the real backwoods! That's at the start of the start of the thing, and that's at the heart of the thing.” quote by Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a1/ray-charles-6406_backwoods_before-i-begin-let-me-say-right-here-and_1919997.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a1/ray-charles-6406_backwoods_before-i-begin-let-me-say-right-here-and_1919997.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a1/ray-charles-6406_backwoods_before-i-begin-let-me-say-right-here-and_1919997.jpg) > “Before I begin, let me say right here and now that I'm a country boy. And, man, I mean the real backwoods! That's at the start of the start of the thing, and that's at the heart of the thing.” [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He proudly identifies as a country boy, emphasizing his authentic, rural roots as central to his identity. **In simple terms:** He embraces his rural background as core to who he is. Key Takeaway Stay true to your origins and let them shape you. Themes identity authenticity regional pride Mood proud reflective Type personal cultural When to use this quote - family gatherings - community events - public speaking - creative work Key Concepts cultural heritage personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - How does your background influence your choices? - Can embracing roots coexist with new perspectives? A Different Perspective Pride may overlook broader experiences and diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backwoods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwoods/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-boy/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Here and now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/here-and-now/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [“We live in a center-right country. Now watch me smile oleaginously.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/we-live-in-a-center-right-country-now-watch-me-smile-oleaginously/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-decatur/our-country-in-her-intercourse-with-foreign-nations-may-she-always-be/) [Stephen Decatur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-decatur/) > [There is no right to a job or a wage rate, but there is a right to move from one country to another in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-tabarrok/there-is-no-right-to-a-job-or-a-wage-rate-but-there-is-a-right-to/) [Alex Tabarrok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-tabarrok/) > [Labour's approach is not about what is politically right, it is about what is right for the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keir-starmer/labour-s-approach-is-not-about-what-is-politically-right-it-is-about/) [Keir Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keir-starmer/) > [“Recognize at all times the paramount right of your Country to your most devoted services, whether she treat you ill or well, and never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay/recognize-at-all-times-the-paramount-right-of-your-country-to-your/) [Henry Clay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay/) > [I want to do what's right for the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-want-to-do-what-s-right-for-the-country/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [“This may seem confusing considering the "swing to the right" this country has taken, but raunch culture transcends elections. The values people vote for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/this-may-seem-confusing-considering-the-swing-to-the-right-this/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [I want to do what's right for the country, and not optimize for people saying nice things about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-bankman-fried/i-want-to-do-what-s-right-for-the-country-and-not-optimize-for-people/) [Sam Bankman-Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-bankman-fried/) > [We have a beautiful right in this country, which is freedom of speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-brewer/we-have-a-beautiful-right-in-this-country-which-is-freedom-of-speech/) [Madeline Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-brewer/) > [You can be a little ungrammatical if you come from the right part of the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/you-can-be-a-little-ungrammatical-if-you-come-from-the-right-part-of/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [What we believe is that health care should be a right in this country; I happen to believe that means that we should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kander/what-we-believe-is-that-health-care-should-be-a-right-in-this-country/) [Jason Kander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kander/) > [Politically, of course, it's to the Right, but then the whole country is to the Right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/politically-of-course-it-s-to-the-right-but-then-the-whole-country-is/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“He gripped it and the sky began to spin; and Pidge knew that if he didn't put it right, the country would somehow obey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-o-shea/he-gripped-it-and-the-sky-began-to-spin-and-pidge-knew-that-if-he/) Pat O'Shea > [Medical care for the entire country seems to me a basic right. If every other country in the West can do it, why can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/medical-care-for-the-entire-country-seems-to-me-a-basic-right-if/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [I stay close to my roots and my family. I never want to forget any part of it. I'm still just a hillbilly at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-stay-close-to-my-roots-and-my-family-i-never-want-to-forget-any/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) ## More by Ray Charles > [Learning to read music in Braille and play by ear helped me develop a damn good memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/learning-to-read-music-in-braille-and-play-by-ear-helped-me-develop-a/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [The important thing is to feel your music, really feel it and believe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/the-important-thing-is-to-feel-your-music-really-feel-it-and-believe/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [I suppose I've always done my share of crying, especially when there's no other way to contain my feelings. I know that men ain't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/i-suppose-i-ve-always-done-my-share-of-crying-especially-when-there-s/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [You never can overwhelm an instrument. You will never get out all that's in an instrument. An instrument will bring you to your limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/you-never-can-overwhelm-an-instrument-you-will-never-get-out-all-that/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [I'd like to think that when I sing a song, I can let you know all about the heartbreak, struggle, lies and kicks in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/i-d-like-to-think-that-when-i-sing-a-song-i-can-let-you-know-all/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [I never wanted to be famous. I only wanted to be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/i-never-wanted-to-be-famous-i-only-wanted-to-be-great/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [I don't know what would have happened to me if I hadn't been able to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/i-don-t-know-what-would-have-happened-to-me-if-i-hadn-t-been-able-to/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [Any artist, when he goes in to record, should have the feeling that any song he records can be a hit. This may sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/any-artist-when-he-goes-in-to-record-should-have-the-feeling-that-any/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [The words to country songs are very earthy like the blues. They're not as dressed up and the people are very honest and say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/the-words-to-country-songs-are-very-earthy-like-the-blues-they-re-not/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [If you can play the blues, you can do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/if-you-can-play-the-blues-you-can-do-anything/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [Dreams, if they're any good, are always a little bit crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/dreams-if-they-re-any-good-are-always-a-little-bit-crazy/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [Music to me is just like breathing. I have to have it. It's part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/music-to-me-is-just-like-breathing-i-have-to-have-it-it-s-part-of-me/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [I set my own rhythm, and I do believe it was usually a little faster than most other people's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/i-set-my-own-rhythm-and-i-do-believe-it-was-usually-a-little-faster/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [I was born with music inside me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/i-was-born-with-music-inside-me/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) > [I had to pawn my clothes just to pay my rent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/i-had-to-pawn-my-clothes-just-to-pay-my-rent/) [Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) [Explore all 98 Ray Charles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/) ## More Backwoods quotes > [I stay close to my roots and my family. I never want to forget any part of it. I'm still just a hillbilly at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-stay-close-to-my-roots-and-my-family-i-never-want-to-forget-any/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Don't you have class today? (Kyrian) Boy, I'm a backwoods Cajun, I ain't never got no class, cher. (Nick) (He cleared his throat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/don-t-you-have-class-today-kyrian-boy-i-m-a-backwoods-cajun-i-ain-t/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I basically grew up in the backwoods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haley-bennett/i-basically-grew-up-in-the-backwoods/) [Haley Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haley-bennett/) > [“Don’t you ‘baby’ me, you backwoods barbarian. I'm not settling for bringing you pie and beer for the rest of my life. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-nelson/don-t-you-baby-me-you-backwoods-barbarian-i-m-not-settling-for/) [Virginia Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-nelson/) > [Never underestimate a backwoods Cajun in a fight, old man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/never-underestimate-a-backwoods-cajun-in-a-fight-old-man/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Oh, for the love of backwoods babies everywhere -Katy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/oh-for-the-love-of-backwoods-babies-everywhere-katy/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [“Love can be a land of wilderness, a wasteland of lost dreams in the backwoods of our muddled emotions, or it can be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/love-can-be-a-land-of-wilderness-a-wasteland-of-lost-dreams-in-the/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [“Some people think the big city's a scary place? That's nothing to compare to the backwoods.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-massie/some-people-think-the-big-city-s-a-scary-place-that-s-nothing-to/) Elizabeth Massie > [ Why does The Smartest Woman in the World \[Hillary Clinton\], who could carve her own career, who was on the Watergate committee - and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/why-does-the-smartest-woman-in-the-world-hillary-clinton-who-could/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“I told you it was a backwoods. They probably still practice corn sacrifice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-r-king/i-told-you-it-was-a-backwoods-they-probably-still-practice-corn/) [Laurie R. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-r-king/) > [Why are we seeing George Bush on TV every two hours for nine or ten days at a time, like some kind of mutated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/why-are-we-seeing-george-bush-on-tv-every-two-hours-for-nine-or-ten/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [I'm that same David Crockett, fresh from the backwoods, half-horse, half-alligator, a little touched with the snapping turtle; can wade the Mississippi, leap the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davy-crockett/i-m-that-same-david-crockett-fresh-from-the-backwoods-half-horse-half/) [Davy Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davy-crockett/) > [“All backwoods folks were poor by material standards; they knew how to make do. They were not wanting to tame the wildness, in themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/all-backwoods-folks-were-poor-by-material-standards-they-knew-how-to/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“True, beneath the human façade, I was an interloper, an alien whose ship had crashed beyond hope of repair in the backwoods of Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/true-beneath-the-human-fac-ade-i-was-an-interloper-an-alien-whose/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [“Finally, we entered Chetaube County, my imaginary birthplace, where the names of the little winding roads and minuscule mountain communities never failed to inspire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/finally-we-entered-chetaube-county-my-imaginary-birthplace-where-the/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) [Browse all 25 Backwoods quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwoods/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Before I begin, let me say right here and now that I'm a country boy. 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