I want people to recognize Luther Allison when I play.
But there was not a job that could say that Luther Allison didn't do his job.
I look in music magazines now and see things on Luther Allison and my name's getting out there more thanks to all the good people at Alligator Records and at my management company.
The blues is the foundation and it's got to carry the top. The other part of the scene the rock 'n' roll and the jazz are the walls of the blues.
In the blues it just takes so long for us to get recognized.
Before I left I opened a lot of doors for a lot of people to play the blues.
I have as much input to the blues; I just never got the chance the opportunity or maybe the respect.
But my big thing was always the blues.
Buddy Guy finally got a break and made it. And Buddy Guy deserves it.
I've been waiting for that bright sunshine to show up and shine in my back door someday.
But you know I still had a dream of being able to go back home and tour.
Me being a skinny guy I could crawl into the steel pit.
I mean look how many musicians have come through and played beside me and I'm workin' and they're not.
What I want to do is play music for somebody who believe in me.
I don't want to be in some big beautiful place that nobody want me because I play the blues.
When I got to Chicago I had to find my way.
In the States it takes you a lifetime just to get from Chicago's South Side to the West Side.
Coming from the cotton plantation the southern regions I was brought up with real nice kids mannered kids who would go to church on Sunday.
And I can do the rock clubs if I have to.
But I never had that commercial opportunity to be played on the radio so how could I be popular?
Well I've had to deal with everything in my life... leavin' the family learnin' what not and what to do.
Well I first started going to Europe in the late '70s.
Leave your ego play the music love the people.
I think I'm the most positive guy still going in my generation and I'm out there to prove that.
I want to play in a place people want to hear me.
But let's face it I still have to look at my self and look at the things I've done down the stretch.