Cocaine made my nose bleed right away. I thought why do I need a nose bleed? It would make me real nervous and talk really fast. I'm already pretty good at talking too fast. I thought, "Why do I need that?"

People have often written about me, that I did this for this reason and that for that reason, and theyre usually 98 percent wrong.

So goodbye, I'll be leaving, I see no sense in this crying and grieving. We'll both live a lot longer, if you live without me.

I first knew Laurie Lewis by her considerable reputation as a fiddle player and a writer of songs. When an opportunity came along to sing with her I seized it. Getting to know her as a singer and a person has been pure pleasure. Her voice is a rare combination of grit and grace, strength and delicacy. Her stories are always true.

I think if the United States gave anything to culture at large in the 20th century, the most important contribution made was the popular song.

I feel sorry for a culture that depends too much on delegating its musical expression to professionals. It is fine to have heroes, but we should do our own singing first, even if it is never heard beyond the shower curtain.

Ninety-nine percent of singing is listening and hearing, and so then 1 percent of it is singing.