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

Jazz is the big brother of the blues. If a guy's playing blues like we play, he's in high school. When he starts playing jazz it's like going on to college, to a school of higher learning.

I've known people that was a part of a family and always feel that the family liked everyone else but them. That hurts, and that's as deep a hurt as you can possibly get. I've known people that would have problems with their love life. This is kind of how blues began - out of feeling misused, mistreated. Feeling like they had nobody to turn to. Blues don't necessarily have to be sung by a person that came from Mississippi as I did, because there are people having problems all over the world.

I do it because I still get a kick out of it. I still love performing. It keeps me young.

I gave you seven children, but now you want to give them back.

No one can take it away from you.

I don't try to just be a blues singer - I try to be an entertainer. That has kept me going.