Michael (Jackson) was so shy, he'd sit down and sing behind the couch with his back to me while I sat with my hands over my eyes-and the lights off.

A great song can make a terrible singer sound good, but a good singer - you put a great song on top of that, you're really in great shape!

Count Basie practically adopted me at 13. We became closer and closer and I ended up conducting for him and Sinatra.

What happens when you get a big break and you haven't prepared yourself? That becomes the biggest mistake you've ever made. I see it happen all the time.

I used to practice piano for hours, and now, with a synthesizer, you can input the music and the machine perfects the song. That's why we have so many people in the music business who should be plumbers. They don't really understand music because they haven't been trained.

The only music I don't like is bad music.

I chose the trombone because the trombone players in the marching band got to be up front with the majorettes (because of the slides) and I loved that!