If it wasn't for the British musicians, a lot of us black musicians in America would still be catchin' the hell that we caught long before. So thanks to them, thanks to all you guys. You opened doors that I don't think would have been opened in my lifetime. When white America started paying attention to the blues - it started opening a lot of doors that had been closed to us.

Nobody loves me but my mother, And she could be jivin' too.

I've been married twice. Most women would rather not be married to a traveling blues singer

My ex-wife was trying to be nice once, so she took me to a concert in Los Angeles. I went with her to Symphony Hall, and the orchestra was playing. When the show started, the spotlight was sharp on this one man (Andres Segovia) and he had sombrero on and his guitar propped up like this and, oh man ... he was a master ! - I really heard it. That one guitar sounded like a whole orchestra to me.

There are so many sounds I still want to make, so many things I haven't yet done.

I don't like anybody to be angry with me. I'd rather have friends.

I've put up with more humiliation than I care to remember.