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.

Prisoners are the greatest audience that an entertainer can perform to.

If I'm anything, I'm not a singer but I'm a song stylist.

I wear black for those who never read or listen to the words that Jesus said, about the road to happiness, through love and charity.

Life and love go on, let the music play.

I developed a pretty unusual style, I think.

I knew that when I left there at the age of 18, I wouldn't be back. And it was common knowledge among all the people there that when you graduate from high school here, you go to college or go get a job or something and do it on your own.