I've never been accused of a felony. I never spent time behind bars except for a few overnight jail times back in the Sixties. [But] I think there's a little bit of a criminal in all of us. Everybody's done something they don't want anybody to know about.

That was the big thing when I was growing up, singing on the radio. The extent of my dream was to sing on the radio station in Memphis. Even when I got out of the Air Force in 1954, I came right back to Memphis and started knocking on doors at the radio station.

I love the young people.

I'm not bitter. Why should I be bitter? I'm thrilled to death with life.

Sam Phillips responded most to a song of mine called, "Hey Porter," which was on the first record.

I'm thrilled to death with life.

Flesh and blood needs flesh and blood, and you're the one I need