People, whether they know it or not, like their blues singers miserable. They like their blues singers to die afterwards.

Hippies believe the world could be a better place. Beatniks believe things aren’t going to get better and say the hell with it, stay stoned and have a good time.

It's hard to be free but when it works, it's worth it!

You can't stay in your home town and play because the two people will get tired of seeing you.

It's not what isn't, it's what you wish was that makes unhappiness.

I started out to be a person on the street, just like everybody else. I didn't start out to be a singer. But I got sort of swept up in this singing thing, and after I got involved in it it got really important to me if I was good or not.

After they see me, when their mothers are feeding them all that cashmere sweater and girdle ----- [expletive deleted by the New York Times], maybe they'll have a second thought - that they can be themselves and win.