Being a blues singer is like being black two times.

There's a sadness to all kinds of music if you want to hear it. There's also happiness to it if you want to hear it.

I'm self-taught. But I finally learned that they was having little shows or night dances or whatever you call them at little juke joints not far from where I lived, and I used to go there. They wouldn't let me play inside, but I could sit outside on the weekends, when it wasn't raining or something.

Growing up, I was taught that a man has to defend his family. When the wolf is trying to get in, you gotta stand in the doorway.

There was a lot of other young players around at that time when I was coming, but there was older people like Blind Lemon, which was one of my favorites. I don't know, just seemed like everybody I heard could play better than me.

I call myself a blues singer, but you ain't never heard me call myself a blues guitar man.

I never use that word, retire.