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

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

The way I feel today, as long as my health is good and I can handle myself well and people still come to my concerts, still buy my CDs, I'll keep playing until I feel like I can't.

It's going to be years and years before most people realize how greatly he contributed to American music.

I was born on a plantation, and things weren't so good. We didn't have any money. I never thought of the word 'poor' till I got to be a man, but when you live in a house that you can always peek out of and see what kind of day it is, you're not doing so well. And your restroom is not inside the house.

The early years when I was starting, blues player, you wasn't always welcome in a lot of the other places. People usually have preconceived ideas about blues music. They always feel that it's depressing and that it's just something that a guy sit out on a stool, grab a guitar, and just start singing or mumbling or whatever.

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