Since the age of 12, all my musical thinking has been influenced by Afro-American music.

In 1940 I came across a record by Jimmy Yancey. I can't say how important that record is. From then on, all I wanted to do was play the blues.

Every musical movement that is big enough has to produce some good musicians who wouldn't have had the incentive to start playing without it.

Blues and jazz pulled me away from what was left of my family.

I wanted to be able to play guitar. I wanted to be able to make music hurt.

I can't explain why one wants to pass a particular sort of pain onto other people, but you do.

When I reflect on how things have changed, I can't help but laugh.