The blues was like that problem child that you may have had in the family. You was a little bit ashamed to let anybody see him, but you loved him. You just didn't know how other people would take it.

I've said that playing the blues is like having to be black twice. Stevie Ray Vaughan missed on both counts, but I never noticed.

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

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.

When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing Lucille.

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.

When I was young, I didn't play like I do today. So these kids are starting at the height that I've reached. Think what they might do over time.