One day a whole damn song fell into place in my head.

Dope never helped anybody sing better or play music better or do anything better. All dope can do for you is kill you - and kill you the long, slow, hard way.

I try to improvise like Les Young, Louis Armstrong or someone else I admire. What comes out is what I feel.

I can't stand to sing the same song the same way two nights in succession, let alone two years or ten years.

When Lester plays, he almost seems to be singing; one can almost hear the words.

The only reason they're out there is to see me fall into the damn orchestra pit.

I can only sing songs my way. I don't know any other way.