If it's worth remembering, I'll remember it. If something keeps coming back, if I keep thinking of that phrase, if I see manifestations of it at different times and different places, then I feel it's worth making a song out of.

I remember the first check I got from The Who's recording [of "Young Man Blues"]. I'd been getting checks for $10 and $15 and so forth, and this one was for a much larger amount than that. I thought it was a mistake.

I have no idea what I'm doin'. I've never seen me.

I been getting good crowds. It only took 50 years.

I start out with words, with the idea, the line. Then after I get a line or two, I try to find what melodic line those lines would be suited to. As soon as I find the form I can finish the song in my head.

I'm happy whenever anybody does my material. I don't care what they do with it. I do what I want to with other people's songs.

I'm improvising all the time. Everything I do is improvised. On the piano, at least.