The biggest honor of my career was when I won R&B Artist of the Year back in the 1970s. I look at that as a major honor.

I love antique architecture, so if I have any indulgences, I have owned and renovated and reconstructed a lot of old houses.

I never felt entitled to anything. I'm the hardest worker I know.

As I got older, my voice got better.

What I do isn't black music, it's just my music.

Nobody's going to sell 10 million records by not working hard.

Everybody who I ever cared about has told me that they like my music: Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Al Green, The Spinners, Smokey Robinson. Everybody that matters.