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.

You got to get it while you can.

You are what you settle for.

Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer.

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.

I read, I painted, I didn't hate niggers.

Singing, it's like it's like loving somebody, it's a supreme emotional and physical experience.