--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn't matter if you stick the name…" description: "\"It doesn't matter if you stick the name 'bluegrass' on it. I think people call things bluegrass that I wouldn't necessarily call bluegrass, but what th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/ricky-skaggs-17066_bluegrass_it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-stick-the-name_2221852.png" --- # It doesn't matter if you stick the name 'bluegrass' on it… ![“It doesn't matter if you stick the name 'bluegrass' on it. I think people call things bluegrass that I wouldn't necessarily call bluegrass, but what they're calling country music today I'm not sure that I would call country music. But I love music and I try to encourage people.” quote by Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/ricky-skaggs-17066_bluegrass_it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-stick-the-name_2221852.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/ricky-skaggs-17066_bluegrass_it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-stick-the-name_2221852.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/ricky-skaggs-17066_bluegrass_it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-stick-the-name_2221852.png) > “It doesn't matter if you stick the name 'bluegrass' on it. I think people call things bluegrass that I wouldn't necessarily call bluegrass, but what they're calling country music today I'm not sure that I would call country music. But I love music and I try to encourage people.” [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Names and labels are fluid; music can transcend genre definitions. **In simple terms:** Music transcends labels. Key Takeaway Embrace music beyond categories. Themes music genre identity creativity Mood reflective open inquisitive Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - concerts - radio playlists - music education - personal listening - artist promotion Key Concepts cultural labeling genre fluidity artistic freedom Questions to Reflect On - How do you define music beyond genre? - What benefits arise from genre fluidity? A Different Perspective Labels can limit perception and marketability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bluegrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bluegrass/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-music/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [The grand old lady of bluegrass? Well, wouldn't that be a wonderful title to have? I hope I do enough to earn it some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-krauss/the-grand-old-lady-of-bluegrass-well-wouldn-t-that-be-a-wonderful/) [Alison Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-krauss/) > [I hope you came out to hear some bluegrass music. If you didn't, we're both in the wrong place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-hope-you-came-out-to-hear-some-bluegrass-music-if-you-didn-t-we-re/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [When I hear bluegrass today, I hear so many new sounds in it. It's almost like country music in a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/when-i-hear-bluegrass-today-i-hear-so-many-new-sounds-in-it-it-s/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [I had some good teachers. One of the greatest teachers I've had is bluegrass music: going back and listening to Bill Monroe's music, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-had-some-good-teachers-one-of-the-greatest-teachers-i-ve-had-is/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [Ireland and America, music-wise, are very closely related. The Irish came over with their fiddles in hand, and you can hear it in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-may/ireland-and-america-music-wise-are-very-closely-related-the-irish/) [Imelda May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-may/) > [Shortly after I started in bluegrass, Ricky Skaggs and I got together and the bluegrass career just snowballed. Being 15 or 16 and making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-whitley/shortly-after-i-started-in-bluegrass-ricky-skaggs-and-i-got-together/) [Keith Whitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-whitley/) > [We came out of bluegrass, so we could play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/we-came-out-of-bluegrass-so-we-could-play/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [I think there are people out there writing original bluegrass songs, but it's hard to get them out on the air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-think-there-are-people-out-there-writing-original-bluegrass-songs/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [Improvisation is an important part of bluegrass, and I would hasten to add that classical music wasn't always such an improvisational void. Back in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-thile/improvisation-is-an-important-part-of-bluegrass-and-i-would-hasten-to/) [Chris Thile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-thile/) > [In bluegrass, there's a lot of joke-telling and a lot of banter between bandmates. It's like improv or watching the 'Carol Burnett Show.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-mcbryde/in-bluegrass-there-s-a-lot-of-joke-telling-and-a-lot-of-banter/) [Ashley McBryde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-mcbryde/) > [I knew I loved playing bluegrass, so I'd end up down there on Sunday nights at the bluegrass jam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-knew-i-loved-playing-bluegrass-so-i-d-end-up-down-there-on-sunday/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [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/) > [I like big shows, a lot of volume and a lot of energy. I love electric instruments. But I do love mixing those with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dierks-bentley/i-like-big-shows-a-lot-of-volume-and-a-lot-of-energy-i-love-electric/) [Dierks Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dierks-bentley/) > [That's what I love about Nashville and the music community - seeing kids around acoustic music and bluegrass picking parties is the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dierks-bentley/that-s-what-i-love-about-nashville-and-the-music-community-seeing/) [Dierks Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dierks-bentley/) > [I think the singer/songwriter genre is going to be like bluegrass and jazz. You can make a living at it, but it's not part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/i-think-the-singer-songwriter-genre-is-going-to-be-like-bluegrass-and/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) ## More by Ricky Skaggs > [I hope you came out to hear some bluegrass music. If you didn't, we're both in the wrong place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-hope-you-came-out-to-hear-some-bluegrass-music-if-you-didn-t-we-re/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [Country and western is ignored by the intellectuals. They don't look at it as an art form. They think it's just somebody sitting on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/country-and-western-is-ignored-by-the-intellectuals-they-don-t-look/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [I mean, I could tell that I really had... a precious gift. And I'm so glad that I have followed through with it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-mean-i-could-tell-that-i-really-had-a-precious-gift-and-i-m-so-glad/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [When I hear bluegrass today, I hear so many new sounds in it. It's almost like country music in a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/when-i-hear-bluegrass-today-i-hear-so-many-new-sounds-in-it-it-s/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [Maybe you're going to a concert thinking you're not going to hear anything but music. But you may walk away from there with an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/maybe-you-re-going-to-a-concert-thinking-you-re-not-going-to-hear/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [Great music is great music, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/great-music-is-great-music-period/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [I've got tapes that I'm so thankful that my father made - old reel-to-reel tapes. I've got a ton of those things at home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-ve-got-tapes-that-i-m-so-thankful-that-my-father-made-old-reel-to/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [That's kind of the mission statement for the label: to try to do great music that touches people's hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/that-s-kind-of-the-mission-statement-for-the-label-to-try-to-do-great/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [I just remember standing there, singing with the headphones on and the strings playing, just how wonderful that felt. But we so rarely got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-just-remember-standing-there-singing-with-the-headphones-on-and-the/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [Ive got tapes that Im so thankful that my father made - old reel-to-reel tapes. Ive got a ton of those things at home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/ive-got-tapes-that-im-so-thankful-that-my-father-made-old-reel-to/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [I've had a couple of guys that I've had co-produce records with me through my career, and it's fun to work with a co-producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-ve-had-a-couple-of-guys-that-i-ve-had-co-produce-records-with-me/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [I've always moved by my heart. I've moved by the spirit of what I feel was right for me next. I always pray and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-ve-always-moved-by-my-heart-i-ve-moved-by-the-spirit-of-what-i-feel/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [Music is such a great healing balm and a great way to forget your troubles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/music-is-such-a-great-healing-balm-and-a-great-way-to-forget-your/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [I always try to entertain folks with good clean fun and stories from my youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-always-try-to-entertain-folks-with-good-clean-fun-and-stories-from/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [I look back to when I got divorced in the late 1970s. When that happened, I was so broken up. After that, I decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-look-back-to-when-i-got-divorced-in-the-late-1970s-when-that/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) [Explore all 38 Ricky Skaggs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) ## More Bluegrass quotes > [I hope you came out to hear some bluegrass music. If you didn't, we're both in the wrong place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-hope-you-came-out-to-hear-some-bluegrass-music-if-you-didn-t-we-re/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [Shortly after I started in bluegrass, Ricky Skaggs and I got together and the bluegrass career just snowballed. Being 15 or 16 and making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-whitley/shortly-after-i-started-in-bluegrass-ricky-skaggs-and-i-got-together/) [Keith Whitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-whitley/) > [I knew I loved playing bluegrass, so I'd end up down there on Sunday nights at the bluegrass jam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-knew-i-loved-playing-bluegrass-so-i-d-end-up-down-there-on-sunday/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [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/) > [Ireland and America, music-wise, are very closely related. The Irish came over with their fiddles in hand, and you can hear it in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-may/ireland-and-america-music-wise-are-very-closely-related-the-irish/) [Imelda May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-may/) > [That's what I love about Nashville and the music community - seeing kids around acoustic music and bluegrass picking parties is the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dierks-bentley/that-s-what-i-love-about-nashville-and-the-music-community-seeing/) [Dierks Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dierks-bentley/) > [I like big shows, a lot of volume and a lot of energy. I love electric instruments. But I do love mixing those with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dierks-bentley/i-like-big-shows-a-lot-of-volume-and-a-lot-of-energy-i-love-electric/) [Dierks Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dierks-bentley/) > [I think the singer/songwriter genre is going to be like bluegrass and jazz. You can make a living at it, but it's not part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/i-think-the-singer-songwriter-genre-is-going-to-be-like-bluegrass-and/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [When I hear bluegrass today, I hear so many new sounds in it. It's almost like country music in a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/when-i-hear-bluegrass-today-i-hear-so-many-new-sounds-in-it-it-s/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [In bluegrass, there's a lot of joke-telling and a lot of banter between bandmates. It's like improv or watching the 'Carol Burnett Show.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-mcbryde/in-bluegrass-there-s-a-lot-of-joke-telling-and-a-lot-of-banter/) [Ashley McBryde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-mcbryde/) > [Improvisation is an important part of bluegrass, and I would hasten to add that classical music wasn't always such an improvisational void. Back in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-thile/improvisation-is-an-important-part-of-bluegrass-and-i-would-hasten-to/) [Chris Thile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-thile/) > [I think there are people out there writing original bluegrass songs, but it's hard to get them out on the air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-think-there-are-people-out-there-writing-original-bluegrass-songs/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [We came out of bluegrass, so we could play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/we-came-out-of-bluegrass-so-we-could-play/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [I listen to instrumental jazz and bluegrass, but aside from my AM workout, I have no rituals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-coe/i-listen-to-instrumental-jazz-and-bluegrass-but-aside-from-my-am/) [David B. Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-coe/) > [I actually grew up singing bluegrass gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-pearce/i-actually-grew-up-singing-bluegrass-gospel/) [Carly Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-pearce/) [Browse all 121 Bluegrass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bluegrass/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It doesn't matter if you stick the name 'bluegrass' on it. I think people call things bluegrass that I wouldn't necessarily call bluegrass, but what they're calling country music today I'm not sure that I would call country music. But I love music and I try to encourage people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ricky Skaggs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-stick-the-name-bluegrass-on-it-i-think/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bluegrass" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-stick-the-name-bluegrass-on-it-i-think/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/ricky-skaggs-17066_bluegrass_it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-stick-the-name_2221852.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/ricky-skaggs-17066_bluegrass_it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-stick-the-name_2221852.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/ricky-skaggs-17066_bluegrass_it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-stick-the-name_2221852.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It doesn't matter if you stick the name 'bluegrass' on it. I think people call things bluegrass that I…” — Ricky Skaggs", "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": "Ricky Skaggs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It doesn't matter if you stick...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-stick-the-name-bluegrass-on-it-i-think/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-stick-the-name-bluegrass-on-it-i-think/#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 } } ] } ```