Jimmy Smith Quotes

My grandmother introduced me to B.B. King. She wasn't someone who had a lot of posters, but there was a big poster of B.B. King on the wall as soon as you walked into her house in Meridian, Mississippi.

The most important mark I will leave on this world is my son.

My grandfather is the greatest man I'll ever know.

When I was very young, I started trying to sing like the great tenor Mario Lanza; my family used to play his records. We all learn best by imitating others.

There's a lot of influences that I have from Detroit that are subliminal. I mean, I spent the first 10 years of my life there. My mom and dad were born and raised there, so a lot of that rubbed off on me. When I get angry, sometimes a Detroit accent comes out.

I grew up listening to a lot of Ray Charles and '60s rock, thanks to my father, and then my brothers got me in to KISS and whatnot, so I guess that's where I got my first taste for music.

When I was born, that was the music my mother was listening to. Michael Jackson is a third parent to me.

I think my grandmother was one of my biggest influences.

Both my grandfathers and my mother's brother were musicians.

Jack has two boys, and when they grow up they're gonna wanna be like the D. I've already got the name: Mini D.

Everything I am today, I owe to my father.

My grandfather is a blues musician.

I'd say I did a lot of what I did with songs like 'At My Best' was because of the influence of my daughter.

I love being Bob Marley's son because he's a great man.

My grandfather has a big influence on me; without him, I wouldn't be where I am now.

My mom, Latha Sriram, is my first guru.

My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man, I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band.

My father was my greatest inspiration. He was a lunatic.

[Kids] don't remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.

I am not really trying to act like my dad.

Chris didn't only leave a legacy of work. He left a legacy of love.

I get inspired by a lot of different stuff. My father is a huge music fan.

Everything I am is because of my grandmother.

Dad is very hard working. I want to be like that. I just want him to be happy with my work.

Tom Waits is someone who has really struck me, ever since I was a kid. He's really a big deal for me.