I got up one Christmas morning and we didn't have nothing to eat. We didn't have an apple, we didn't have an orange, we didn't have a cake, we didn't have nothing.

Saturday night is your big night. Everybody used to fry up fish and have one hell of a time. Find me playing till sunrise for 50 cents and a sandwich. And be glad of it. And they really liked the low-down blues.

You get a heck of a sound from the church. Can't you hear it in my voice?

Of course that was my idol, Son House. I think he did a lot for the Mississippi slide down there.

If you got something you don't want other people to know, keep it in your pocket.

Now that I'm gettin old enough to get some money, I'd like to have some money. I don't get much made, I need to conquer a big chunk of money. Not quit playin but quit playin so hard.

I got that first record out, it came out in '47... Then my name began to ring around. I began to take over. From that point, I tell you, Chicago was in my hand, all the more time that those guys had to listen to me.