Jay McShann

They had the music being piped right out on the street. I'd be three or four blocks from there and I couldn't get there fast enough because I'd hear old Joe holler them words.

I was listening to all those lyrics and trying to take in everything that was happening. I was completely excited. It was one of the greatest times that I had listening to music.

It was my first time in Kansas City. In about two or three days I had a gig at a place called The Monroe Inn.

I had listened to Joe Turner. When they'd book Joe there, I'd play the blues behind him.

We used to play the Savoy Ballroom, and we always had a boogie tune in the set. Bands like Tommy Dorsey used to do a little boogie woogie. The big bands.

As long as Pete and Joe are there, it's gonna be jumping.

My family was a Christian family. But I had to get to Kansas to play the blues.

We didn't let a night go by that we didn't play.

We had an old Victrola with the old bulldog they used to have there. The horn would come out.