If you can't get your songs to people one way, you have to find another.

You never miss what you've never had. I never had any other life. I didn't know any other life.

The blues was bleeding the same blood as me.

I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun Studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra's. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness.

We all have idols. Play like anyone you care about but try to be yourself while you're doing so.

Singing about your sadness unburdens your soul. But the blues hollers shouted about more than being sad. They were also delivering messages in musical code. If the master was coming, you might sing a hidden warning to the other field hands . . . The blues could warn you what was coming. I could see the blues was about survival.

The blues are three L's - living , loving and hopefully, laughing.