I was always willing to say, "Let's see what happens," when something came up that looked like it might help me get a little closer to where I wanted to be . . .

If you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night!

Of course, there are a lot of ways you can treat the blues, but it will still be the blues.

I was always willing to say, "Let's see what happens," when something came up that looked like it might help me get a little closer to where I wanted to be . . .

All I wanted was to be big, to be in show business and to travel ... and that's what I've been doing all my life.

If a guy is gonna to play good bop, he has to have a sort of a bop soul.

I decided that I would be one of the biggest new names; and I actually had some little fancy business cards printed up to announce it, 'Count Basie. Beware, the Count is Here.'