"In Africa," S. B. once remarked, "if you do well, people close to you will hate you."

They did it to try and belittle me, to try and to take away my pride. But I went through the whole system with them. And at the end, I - I wanted the public to know that I was okay, even though I was hurting.

Start with the man in the mirror. Start with yourself. Don't be looking at all the other things. Start with you.

I think God outdid Himself when He created children.

Nothing quenches the thirst like a wheat beer, or sharpens the appetite like an India pale ale. Nothing goes as well with seafood as a dry porter or stout, or accompanies chocolate like an imperial stout. Nothing soothes like a barleywine. These are just a few of the specialty styles of beer.

I never think about themes. I let the music create itself. I like it to be a potpourri of all kinds of sounds, all kinds of colors, something for everybody, from the farmer in Ireland to the lady who scrubs toilets in Harlem.

I can tell you there are rewards that go far beyond money and public acclaim and awards.