--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started on acoustic guitar after I…" description: "\"I started on acoustic guitar after I heard Leadbelly and Big Bill Broonzy.\" — Rory Gallagher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/rory-gallagher-12913_acoustic_i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-hea_477792.jpg" --- # I started on acoustic guitar after I heard Leadbelly and… ![“I started on acoustic guitar after I heard Leadbelly and Big Bill Broonzy.” quote by Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/rory-gallagher-12913_acoustic_i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-hea_477792.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/rory-gallagher-12913_acoustic_i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-hea_477792.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/rory-gallagher-12913_acoustic_i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-hea_477792.jpg) > “I started on acoustic guitar after I heard Leadbelly and Big Bill Broonzy.” [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Inspiration from folk blues sparked a personal musical path. **In simple terms:** Listening to great artists can launch your own craft. Key Takeaway Seek influences to start your art. Themes inspiration musical heritage growth Mood reflective motivated Type musical personal When to use this quote - learning an instrument - songwriting - music education Key Concepts folk blues personal development artistic lineage Questions to Reflect On - Which artists inspire you? - How will you make their influence your own? A Different Perspective Imitating without developing own voice limits originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acoustic guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acoustic-guitar/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I started out with acoustic guitar and loop pedal because I thought I wanted to be Ed Sheeran.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walker/i-started-out-with-acoustic-guitar-and-loop-pedal-because-i-thought-i/) [Tom Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walker/) > [I've always been an acoustic guitar player, and I've pretty much continued to play acoustic guitar throughout all of the Sonic Youth periods. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/i-ve-always-been-an-acoustic-guitar-player-and-i-ve-pretty-much/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [I was playing guitar before I heard The Beatles, but as I got older and listened to their tunes I realized they were amazing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/i-was-playing-guitar-before-i-heard-the-beatles-but-as-i-got-older/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [I write everything from an acoustic guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll/i-write-everything-from-an-acoustic-guitar/) [Jelly Roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll/) > [I got this Christmas gift with the entire Beatles catalog. I had fun trying to duplicate what I was hearing on these records, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/i-got-this-christmas-gift-with-the-entire-beatles-catalog-i-had-fun/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [I write almost all my songs on an acoustic guitar, even if they turn into rock songs, hard rock songs, metal songs, heavy metal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/i-write-almost-all-my-songs-on-an-acoustic-guitar-even-if-they-turn/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [I was 16 when I started playing. I borrowed a friend's acoustic guitar, and I had a Beatles chord book. I just taught myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-daniel/i-was-16-when-i-started-playing-i-borrowed-a-friend-s-acoustic-guitar/) [Britt Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-daniel/) > [My parents got me a $25 Kent steel-string acoustic guitar when I was around 12. The following Christmas, my parents bought me a Conora…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lifeson/my-parents-got-me-a-25-kent-steel-string-acoustic-guitar-when-i-was/) [Alex Lifeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lifeson/) > [I don't touch electric guitars. It's just not my thing - I stick with acoustic guitars only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/i-don-t-touch-electric-guitars-it-s-just-not-my-thing-i-stick-with/) [Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/) > [And I only really like to play the acoustic guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-gass/and-i-only-really-like-to-play-the-acoustic-guitar/) [Kyle Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-gass/) > [I love the subtlety and tonal range of the acoustic guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelberg/i-love-the-subtlety-and-tonal-range-of-the-acoustic-guitar/) [Dan Fogelberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelberg/) > [I did a smaller gig with an acoustic guitar and a drum machine. In one song, something wrong happened with the drum machine. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/violante-placido/i-did-a-smaller-gig-with-an-acoustic-guitar-and-a-drum-machine-in-one/) [Violante Placido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/violante-placido/) > [My stuff was more of a folk coffeehouse thing, with more acoustic guitar, just me doing a single, and then adding on instruments and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hicks/my-stuff-was-more-of-a-folk-coffeehouse-thing-with-more-acoustic/) [Dan Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hicks/) > [One of the signature things about Heart was the acoustic guitar in a rock format, which you didn't hear that often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-wilson/one-of-the-signature-things-about-heart-was-the-acoustic-guitar-in-a/) [Nancy Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-wilson/) > [I practice on the acoustic guitar a little bit, but I think I have reached the peak of my talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hudson/i-practice-on-the-acoustic-guitar-a-little-bit-but-i-think-i-have/) [Tim Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hudson/) ## More by Rory Gallagher > [One thing I really hate about people who play both acoustic and electric is if they try to play electric style on an acoustic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/one-thing-i-really-hate-about-people-who-play-both-acoustic-and/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [Touring doesn't have to be a harried, cliched way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/touring-doesn-t-have-to-be-a-harried-cliched-way-of-life/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [There was nobody in the city I came from - Cork, Ireland - that I could link up with to teach me the guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/there-was-nobody-in-the-city-i-came-from-cork-ireland-that-i-could/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [Basically, I like anything with guts - Lead Belly, Bill Big Broonzy, Johnny Winter, the Stones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/basically-i-like-anything-with-guts-lead-belly-bill-big-broonzy/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [It's dangerous not to tour, because people assume you've faded away, or have no interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/it-s-dangerous-not-to-tour-because-people-assume-you-ve-faded-away-or/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [One of the things that was crucial for me I got from Rory Gallagher, which was the idea of, like, being a guitar player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/one-of-the-things-that-was-crucial-for-me-i-got-from-rory-gallagher/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [I could bear being in the charts and being on everyone's car radio 10 times a day. I'm just terrified of... a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-could-bear-being-in-the-charts-and-being-on-everyone-s-car-radio-10/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [I'm a great listener - I play records all the time at home. And I play guitar as a hobby. So inspiration has never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-m-a-great-listener-i-play-records-all-the-time-at-home-and-i-play/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [I think that I set such high standards for myself that sometimes I expect other people to live up to these standards, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-think-that-i-set-such-high-standards-for-myself-that-sometimes-i/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [Playing live is my natural element. It's too hard to relax in the studio because there are too many options. It's just not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/playing-live-is-my-natural-element-it-s-too-hard-to-relax-in-the/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [Obviously, I would like to play to bigger audiences and have a bit more success, but not if I have to commercialize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/obviously-i-would-like-to-play-to-bigger-audiences-and-have-a-bit/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [As a kid, I loved any guitarists, whether it was Elvis Presley, Lonnie Donegan, Chuck Berry or even the cowboy guitarists like Gene Autry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/as-a-kid-i-loved-any-guitarists-whether-it-was-elvis-presley-lonnie/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [My favorite lineup is just a trio, because then every night you can improvise and change the repertoire. Keyboards and brass can be great,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/my-favorite-lineup-is-just-a-trio-because-then-every-night-you-can/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [Basically, I try to treat the electric guitar like an acoustic guitar. What you have to do is attack the instrument and know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/basically-i-try-to-treat-the-electric-guitar-like-an-acoustic-guitar/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) > [I think rock should always stay a little bit outside the pale; I think it should remain a little bit dangerous - a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-think-rock-should-always-stay-a-little-bit-outside-the-pale-i-think/) [Rory Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) [Explore all 52 Rory Gallagher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/) ## More Acoustic quotes > [I've never been one of those musicians to differentiate between acoustic and electronic sounds. I just see it all as sound sources to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/i-ve-never-been-one-of-those-musicians-to-differentiate-between/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [How do I explain Neil Young? Great question! I explain Neil Young as, I would kill to see his acoustic shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mould/how-do-i-explain-neil-young-great-question-i-explain-neil-young-as-i/) [Bob Mould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mould/) > [Oftentimes the most produced and synth-tastic songs are the ones that end up sounding the best acoustic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/oftentimes-the-most-produced-and-synth-tastic-songs-are-the-ones-that/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [I practice on the acoustic guitar a little bit, but I think I have reached the peak of my talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hudson/i-practice-on-the-acoustic-guitar-a-little-bit-but-i-think-i-have/) [Tim Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hudson/) > [I write alternative, folkie pop. It's very acoustic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-write-alternative-folkie-pop-it-s-very-acoustic/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I never thought I would do an all-acoustic tour or an all-acoustic album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-frampton/i-never-thought-i-would-do-an-all-acoustic-tour-or-an-all-acoustic/) [Peter Frampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-frampton/) > [I gave a Collings dreadnought to a young guitar player in the Valley where I live because he didn't have a good acoustic, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crosby/i-gave-a-collings-dreadnought-to-a-young-guitar-player-in-the-valley/) [David Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crosby/) > [One of the signature things about Heart was the acoustic guitar in a rock format, which you didn't hear that often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-wilson/one-of-the-signature-things-about-heart-was-the-acoustic-guitar-in-a/) [Nancy Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-wilson/) > [My stuff was more of a folk coffeehouse thing, with more acoustic guitar, just me doing a single, and then adding on instruments and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hicks/my-stuff-was-more-of-a-folk-coffeehouse-thing-with-more-acoustic/) [Dan Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hicks/) > [Technology was something I avoided when I started out - I didn't even have electric guitars. Only played acoustic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/technology-was-something-i-avoided-when-i-started-out-i-didn-t-even/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [There were bars that began to have acoustic musicians play, it was 1970: Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, America, The Eagles, all that kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/there-were-bars-that-began-to-have-acoustic-musicians-play-it-was/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [When I started performing, I played acoustic music, partly because that way you don't have to worry about interacting too much with other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/when-i-started-performing-i-played-acoustic-music-partly-because-that/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [I did a smaller gig with an acoustic guitar and a drum machine. In one song, something wrong happened with the drum machine. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/violante-placido/i-did-a-smaller-gig-with-an-acoustic-guitar-and-a-drum-machine-in-one/) [Violante Placido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/violante-placido/) > [I love the subtlety and tonal range of the acoustic guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelberg/i-love-the-subtlety-and-tonal-range-of-the-acoustic-guitar/) [Dan Fogelberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelberg/) > [I tried playing electric for awhile and it just didn't work out. My reflexes are centered on the six string acoustic. I just played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rush/i-tried-playing-electric-for-awhile-and-it-just-didn-t-work-out-my/) [Tom Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rush/) Browse all 151 Acoustic quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started on acoustic guitar after I heard Leadbelly and Big Bill Broonzy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rory Gallagher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-heard-leadbelly-and-big-bill/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acoustic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-heard-leadbelly-and-big-bill/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/rory-gallagher-12913_acoustic_i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-hea_477792.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/rory-gallagher-12913_acoustic_i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-hea_477792.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/rory-gallagher-12913_acoustic_i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-hea_477792.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I started on acoustic guitar after I heard Leadbelly and Big Bill Broonzy.” — Rory Gallagher", "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": "Rory Gallagher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-gallagher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I started on acoustic guitar after...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-heard-leadbelly-and-big-bill/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-gallagher/i-started-on-acoustic-guitar-after-i-heard-leadbelly-and-big-bill/#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 } } ] } ```