If you sacrifice your art because of some woman, or some man, or for some color, or for some wealth, you can't be trusted.

I don't pay no attention to what critics say about me, the good or the bad. The toughest critic I got is myself...and I'm too vain to play anything I think is bad.

To keep creating you have to be about change.

I think every Negro over fifty should get a medal for putting up with all that crap.

My future starts when I wake up every morning.

What's swinging in words? If a guy makes you pat your foot and if you feel it down your back, you don't have to ask anybody if that's good music or not. You can always feel it.

I'll play it first and figure out what it's called later.