The blacks have their parties, hustle a little liquor, get some things together, and I used to play for those peoples. They'd come get me on time, but they wouldn't bring me back on time... Done picked cotton all day, play all night long, then pick cotton all day the next day before I could get a chance to sleep.

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.

I rambled all the time. I was just like that, like a rollin' stone.

Man, you don't know how I felt that afternoon when I heard that VOICE and it was my own VOICE.

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

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

He took my music, but he gave me my name.