--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think if it wasn't for the blues, there…" description: "\"I think if it wasn't for the blues, there wouldn't be no jazz.\" — T-Bone Walker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/t-bone-walker-86758_blues_i-think-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-blues-there_2753654.jpg" --- # I think if it wasn't for the blues, there wouldn't be no… ![“I think if it wasn't for the blues, there wouldn't be no jazz.” quote by T-Bone Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/t-bone-walker-86758_blues_i-think-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-blues-there_2753654.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/t-bone-walker-86758_blues_i-think-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-blues-there_2753654.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/t-bone-walker-86758_blues_i-think-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-blues-there_2753654.jpg) > “I think if it wasn't for the blues, there wouldn't be no jazz.” T-Bone Walker ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Blues is the emotional foundation that gave rise to jazz; without it, jazz would lack its depth. **In simple terms:** Jazz stems from blues roots. Key Takeaway Appreciate the blues influence on jazz. Themes music history genre evolution creativity Mood appreciative nostalgic Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - listening to jazz - studying music history - learning an instrument Key Concepts cultural roots musical improvisation Questions to Reflect On - Do you hear blues elements in modern jazz? - How does blues shape your musical taste? A Different Perspective Jazz can also arise from other influences, not just blues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blues/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“If my name were Nubby Blues, I wouldn't be a jazz musician, I'd be a disabled Vietnam vet on welfare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-my-name-were-nubby-blues-i-wouldn-t-be-a-jazz-musician-i-d-be-a/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [If you didn't have the amalgam of Blacks and African-type sensibility and European sensibility, you wouldn't have jazz. Even in the negative and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/if-you-didn-t-have-the-amalgam-of-blacks-and-african-type-sensibility/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [If it wasn't for blues and gospel, I don't think I would be who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-tedeschi/if-it-wasn-t-for-blues-and-gospel-i-don-t-think-i-would-be-who-i-am/) [Susan Tedeschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-tedeschi/) > [I wouldn't call myself a jazz player or a blues player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/i-wouldn-t-call-myself-a-jazz-player-or-a-blues-player/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [My big influences are Joni Mitchell, and a lot of classical and Indian music, as well as Nina Simone and the personal blues and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yael-naim/my-big-influences-are-joni-mitchell-and-a-lot-of-classical-and-indian/) [Yael Naim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yael-naim/) > [I think we as a band, as individuals, understand that all popular music stems from blues and jazz and even pop, but rock 'n'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-johansen/i-think-we-as-a-band-as-individuals-understand-that-all-popular-music/) [David Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-johansen/) > [I do not claim any of the creation of the blues, although I have written many of them even before Mr. Handy had any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll-morton/i-do-not-claim-any-of-the-creation-of-the-blues-although-i-have/) [Jelly Roll Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll-morton/) > [“The guitar breathed. It inhaled and exhaled, and music filled the shop as the instrument picked the heartbreak of generations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-sutton-rose/the-guitar-breathed-it-inhaled-and-exhaled-and-music-filled-the-shop/) [Brenda Sutton Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-sutton-rose/) > [I never liked blues music, and I really didn't like jazz. I liked Chuck Berry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-ramone/i-never-liked-blues-music-and-i-really-didn-t-like-jazz-i-liked-chuck/) [Johnny Ramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-ramone/) > [For me, the ultimate form of expression is blues, where jazz appeals to me on an intellectual level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-henderson/for-me-the-ultimate-form-of-expression-is-blues-where-jazz-appeals-to/) Scott Henderson > [For guitar players especially, blues is the foundation of rock and roll. You take country music and rock and roll and jazz and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/for-guitar-players-especially-blues-is-the-foundation-of-rock-and/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [“Now listen for your song. Everybody’s got a song. When I used to chase the Trane— John Coltrane that is— he used to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mutti-clark/now-listen-for-your-song-everybody-s-got-a-song-when-i-used-to-chase/) [David Mutti Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mutti-clark/) > [That's the kind of musical freedom I like: jazz, rock, blues, anything. You adopt different attitudes when you play different music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-lee/that-s-the-kind-of-musical-freedom-i-like-jazz-rock-blues-anything/) [Alvin Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-lee/) > [My father's rich, my momma's good looking. Right? And I can play the Blues. I've never suffered and don't intend to suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/my-father-s-rich-my-momma-s-good-looking-right-and-i-can-play-the/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [By the time I was in my teens, I was listening to Delta blues and jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hozier/by-the-time-i-was-in-my-teens-i-was-listening-to-delta-blues-and-jazz/) [Hozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hozier/) ## More by T-Bone Walker > [I just naturally started to play music. My whole family played-my daddy played, my mother played. My daddy played bass, my cousin played banjo,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-walker/i-just-naturally-started-to-play-music-my-whole-family-played-my/) T-Bone Walker > [I was called "T-Bow" but the people got it mixed up with "T-Bone." My name is Aaron Walker but "T-Bone" is catchy, people remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-walker/i-was-called-t-bow-but-the-people-got-it-mixed-up-with-t-bone-my-name/) T-Bone Walker Explore all 3 T-Bone Walker quotes ## More Blues quotes > [If they played more blues, people would just get it - they try to hold it back but just about can't hold it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lee-hooker/if-they-played-more-blues-people-would-just-get-it-they-try-to-hold/) [John Lee Hooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lee-hooker/) > [I love Las Vegas, but I never get a chance to play a club like the House of Blues. I guess we've graduated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-walsh/i-love-las-vegas-but-i-never-get-a-chance-to-play-a-club-like-the/) [Joe Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-walsh/) > [That's the thing about the blues: It's one thing to hit a note on a guitar. To make it matter is something else altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/that-s-the-thing-about-the-blues-it-s-one-thing-to-hit-a-note-on-a/) [Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/) > [“Grits Glossary blues \\’blüz\\ n: nothing but a good man singing about hardship, sorrow, and the things he’s done wrong--but sake’s alive, they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/grits-glossary-blues-bl-z-n-nothing-but-a-good-man-singing-about/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [I guess what I like is mostly country & western or else stuff that has a real blues feel to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-guess-what-i-like-is-mostly-country-western-or-else-stuff-that-has/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [I'm a rock/blues guitar player. I'm not wanting to be a pop star or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orianthi/i-m-a-rock-blues-guitar-player-i-m-not-wanting-to-be-a-pop-star-or/) [Orianthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orianthi/) > [An element I love about the blues is jamming with other musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hoey/an-element-i-love-about-the-blues-is-jamming-with-other-musicians/) [Gary Hoey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hoey/) > [Well, I don't know how they define that. But they have this Texas blues thing blown kinda out of proportion. I am a Long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hunter/well-i-don-t-know-how-they-define-that-but-they-have-this-texas-blues/) [John Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hunter/) > [Since I was a kid, I've had an absolute obsession with particular kinds of American music. Mississippi Delta blues of the Thirties, Chicago blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/since-i-was-a-kid-i-ve-had-an-absolute-obsession-with-particular/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [James Cotton is a real blues guy, and he played with Muddy Waters, and it surprised me that they would want me to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-haden/james-cotton-is-a-real-blues-guy-and-he-played-with-muddy-waters-and/) [Charlie Haden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-haden/) > [When I discovered blues - I was 12-years-old - I didn't discover it in America where it was from; I discovered it from Fleetwood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weller/when-i-discovered-blues-i-was-12-years-old-i-didn-t-discover-it-in/) [Paul Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weller/) > [Elvis deserves a lot of credit for bringing the blues to middle America, not the Vegas stuff. The early stuff, The Sun records, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tork/elvis-deserves-a-lot-of-credit-for-bringing-the-blues-to-middle/) [Peter Tork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tork/) > [Old-school rock bands, and blues bands, too, are kind of a dying breed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-rossington/old-school-rock-bands-and-blues-bands-too-are-kind-of-a-dying-breed/) [Gary Rossington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-rossington/) > [My favorite moment of the whole thing was when John Belushi suggested that I get a hold of all the blues records I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-cropper/my-favorite-moment-of-the-whole-thing-was-when-john-belushi-suggested/) [Steve Cropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-cropper/) > [I listened to King Oliver and I listened to Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Archie Shepp... I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-listened-to-king-oliver-and-i-listened-to-louis-armstrong-jelly/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) [Browse all 1,026 Blues quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blues/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think if it wasn't for the blues, there wouldn't be no jazz.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "T-Bone Walker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-walker/i-think-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-blues-there-wouldn-t-be-no-jazz/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blues" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-walker/i-think-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-blues-there-wouldn-t-be-no-jazz/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/t-bone-walker-86758_blues_i-think-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-blues-there_2753654.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/t-bone-walker-86758_blues_i-think-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-blues-there_2753654.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/t-bone-walker-86758_blues_i-think-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-blues-there_2753654.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think if it wasn't for the blues, there wouldn't be no jazz.” — T-Bone Walker", "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": "T-Bone Walker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-bone-walker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think if it wasn't for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-walker/i-think-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-blues-there-wouldn-t-be-no-jazz/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-walker/i-think-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-blues-there-wouldn-t-be-no-jazz/#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 } } ] } ```