I learn from my mistakes. It’s a very painful way to learn, but without pain, the old saying is, there’s no gain.

When God forgave me, I figured I'd better do it too.

Life is - the way God has given it to me was just a platter - a golden platter of life laid out there for me. It's been beautiful.

It takes a real man to live for God-a lot more man than to live for the devil, you know? If you really want to live right these days, you gotta be tough.

Six foot six he stood on the ground He weighed two hundred and thirty-five pounds But I saw that giant of a man brought down To his knees by love

My mother was determined that I was going to leave the farm and do well in life. And she thought with the gift, I might be able to do that. So she took in washing. She got a washing machine in 1942 as soon as we got electricity and she took in washing. She washed the schoolteacher's clothes and anybody she could and sent me for singing lessons for $3 per lesson.

My daddy left home when I was three and he didn't leave much to Ma and me, just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.