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

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

In this country, don't forget, a habit is no damn private hell. There's no solitary confinement outside of jail. A habit is hell for those you love. And in this country it's the worst kind of hell for those who love you.

People don't understand the kind of fight it takes to record what you want to record the way you want to record it.

All dope can do for you is kill you... the long hard way. And it can kill the people you love right along with you.

You can't copy anybody and end with anything. If you copy, it means you're working without any real feeling.

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