It's a good time for black people to be alive.

It's logical that people from bad times will reflect their feelings in their communication. Music is part of the communication. If you lived it, you can do it.

If I want to take a particular form of blues somewhere else I have the equipment to do it but I never even thought of it.

That's a very high goal to have, study eight hours a day to be a concert pianist.

To be young, gifted and black!

I demand perfection in what I do, and I practice very hard before I give a concert-sometimes three to six hours a day.

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," a song that was written for Simone, she confronted the band's lead singer, Eric Burdon. "So you're the honky," she said, "who stole my song and got a hit out of it?