I was 16 when I came to New York. I had graduated to a tenor banjo in the school jazz band, and it was kind of boring - just chords, chords, chords. Then my father took me to a mountain music and dance festival in Asheville, North Carolina, and there I saw relatively uneducated people playing great music by ear.

The key to the future of the world is finding the optimistic stories and letting them be known.

I like to say I'm more conservative than Goldwater. He just wanted to turn the clock back to when there was no income tax.

Participation - that's what's gonna save the human race.

If there's something wrong, speak up!

Being generous of spirit is a wonderful way to live.

Technology will save us if it doesn't wipe us out first.