I did a little bit to raise the dignity and recognition of the greatness of African-American music.

My father believed very strongly in Ataturk. Ataturk was a very powerful man and a man of great vision.

The songwriters whom we think of being the greatest songwriters usually write one hit and six or seven flops.

I've been in the studio when you go through a track and you run down a track and you know even before the singer starts singing, you know the track is swinging ... you know you have a multimillion-seller hit - and what you're working on suddenly has magic.

It is a great life, this life of music.

I did a little bit to raise the dignity and recognition of the greatness of African-American music.

I used to drink a bottle of vodka a day, every day, for about 40 years and it never occurred to me it'd kill me. If I'd have continued it might have killed me. My doctor said I should stick to wine.