--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was trying to establish an identity in…" description: "\"I was trying to establish an identity in music, and black and white had nothing to do with it.\" — Sam Phillips" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/sam-phillips-40162_black_i-was-trying-to-establish-an-identity-in_909225.jpg" --- # I was trying to establish an identity in music, and black… ![“I was trying to establish an identity in music, and black and white had nothing to do with it.” quote by Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/sam-phillips-40162_black_i-was-trying-to-establish-an-identity-in_909225.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/sam-phillips-40162_black_i-was-trying-to-establish-an-identity-in_909225.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/sam-phillips-40162_black_i-was-trying-to-establish-an-identity-in_909225.jpg) > “I was trying to establish an identity in music, and black and white had nothing to do with it.” [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identity in music transcends binary labels; creativity isn’t limited by simplistic categories. **In simple terms:** Music identity isn’t just black or white. Key Takeaway Embrace nuanced artistic expression. Themes creativity identity artistic freedom Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - songwriting - album production - live performance - marketing strategy Key Concepts genre fluidity personal branding Questions to Reflect On - How do you define your unique sound? - What influences shape your musical choices? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on nuance can dilute clear branding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black and white](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-and-white/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) ## Related quotes > [I will strive to establish my own identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshara-haasan/i-will-strive-to-establish-my-own-identity/) [Akshara Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshara-haasan/) > [I come in with this rock 'n' roll-oriented music, and it's not black enough . . . I've always had to deal with this black-white thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-kravitz/i-come-in-with-this-rock-n-roll-oriented-music-and-it-s-not-black/) [Lenny Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-kravitz/) > [“Music, in fact, plays a central role in the creation of identity and the formation of real communities. Musical memories are some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-florida/music-in-fact-plays-a-central-role-in-the-creation-of-identity-and/) [Richard Florida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-florida/) > [I kind of have found my identity through the music, through the roots music of North Carolina, and kind of realized that that's my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-kind-of-have-found-my-identity-through-the-music-through-the-roots/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [The one thing I won't do is sacrifice my Indian identity in my music, my clothing choices. It's something I tried to hide growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vidya-vox/the-one-thing-i-won-t-do-is-sacrifice-my-indian-identity-in-my-music/) [Vidya Vox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vidya-vox/) > [If you establish an identity, you build a monster-and thats right, youve got to live with it. Of course, you can enjoy it, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-shearing/if-you-establish-an-identity-you-build-a-monster-and-thats-right/) [George Shearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-shearing/) > [It is very difficult for us to establish identity in films. It is not easy to break through your stereotype image from television and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karishma-tanna/it-is-very-difficult-for-us-to-establish-identity-in-films-it-is-not/) [Karishma Tanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karishma-tanna/) > [“In this world one must have a name; it prevents confusion, even when it does not establish identity. Some, though, are known by numbers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/in-this-world-one-must-have-a-name-it-prevents-confusion-even-when-it/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A principal struggle of many young companies is to establish an identity, a philosophical and emotional core, and LAIKA is no exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-knight/a-principal-struggle-of-many-young-companies-is-to-establish-an/) [Travis Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-knight/) > [I have managed to establish an identity that is based on my internal self, and for that I feel tremendously lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/i-have-managed-to-establish-an-identity-that-is-based-on-my-internal/) [David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/) > [In my own professional career, I've tried to establish my own identity and my own track record so that if I were to entertain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/in-my-own-professional-career-i-ve-tried-to-establish-my-own-identity/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [I want to remind people that black music is amazing. And there are all forms of it that we've forgotten, you know? Rock music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-glasper/i-want-to-remind-people-that-black-music-is-amazing-and-there-are-all/) [Robert Glasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-glasper/) > [I feel like I don't fit in. There's not a lot of outlets for urban music, for black artists who don't have that crossover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-alsina/i-feel-like-i-don-t-fit-in-there-s-not-a-lot-of-outlets-for-urban/) [August Alsina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-alsina/) > [I'm admitting that I don't know that to be true, but it does sound pretty good. So a big part of my childhood was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-kasher/i-m-admitting-that-i-don-t-know-that-to-be-true-but-it-does-sound/) [Moshe Kasher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moshe-kasher/) > [Even though it's called Music Of Black Origin, it's not just music for black people. Music is for everybody. I think it's good that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alesha-dixon/even-though-it-s-called-music-of-black-origin-it-s-not-just-music-for/) [Alesha Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alesha-dixon/) ## More by Sam Phillips > [“Bring it home? All right, let's bring it home. If you was hit by a truck and you was lying out there in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/bring-it-home-all-right-let-s-bring-it-home-if-you-was-hit-by-a-truck/) [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) > [I was looking for what was coming from a man's soul and a man's conviction. I didn't care about his past. If it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/i-was-looking-for-what-was-coming-from-a-man-s-soul-and-a-man-s/) [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) > [There was a certain feeling I developed as a young person for black people. Somehow they were able to get pleasure out of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/there-was-a-certain-feeling-i-developed-as-a-young-person-for-black/) [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) > [Feeling has as much to say as the words do. You can have the greatest words in the world and if they're not believable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/feeling-has-as-much-to-say-as-the-words-do-you-can-have-the-greatest/) [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) > [If I could find a white man who had the Negro sound and the Negro feel, I could make a billion dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/if-i-could-find-a-white-man-who-had-the-negro-sound-and-the-negro/) [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) > [I'll never retire. I'm just using up somebody else's oxygen if I retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/i-ll-never-retire-i-m-just-using-up-somebody-else-s-oxygen-if-i-retire/) [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) > [Teenagers did not have, before rock 'n' roll and rhythm-and-blues - they did not have any type of music they could call their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/teenagers-did-not-have-before-rock-n-roll-and-rhythm-and-blues-they/) [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) > [I grew up on what everybody called a plantation - but believe me, it wasn't a plantation. It was just an old farm. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/i-grew-up-on-what-everybody-called-a-plantation-but-believe-me-it/) [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) > [If you're not doing something different, you're not doing anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/if-you-re-not-doing-something-different-you-re-not-doing-anything/) [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) > [I am a sound freak. I could play around with sound forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/i-am-a-sound-freak-i-could-play-around-with-sound-forever/) [Sam Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) [Explore all 11 Sam Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was trying to establish an identity in music, and black and white had nothing to do with it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Phillips" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/i-was-trying-to-establish-an-identity-in-music-and-black-and-white/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/i-was-trying-to-establish-an-identity-in-music-and-black-and-white/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/sam-phillips-40162_black_i-was-trying-to-establish-an-identity-in_909225.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/sam-phillips-40162_black_i-was-trying-to-establish-an-identity-in_909225.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/sam-phillips-40162_black_i-was-trying-to-establish-an-identity-in_909225.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was trying to establish an identity in music, and black and white had nothing to do with it.” — Sam Phillips", "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": "Sam Phillips", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-phillips/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was trying to establish an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/i-was-trying-to-establish-an-identity-in-music-and-black-and-white/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-phillips/i-was-trying-to-establish-an-identity-in-music-and-black-and-white/#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 } } ] } ```