The climate in the '50s and '60s for black performers or black people in the entertainment business was atrocious. It was atrocious.

Benny [Carter] opened the eyes of a lot of producers and studios, so that they could understand that you could go to blacks for other things outside of blues and barbecue. He's a total musician. He was the pioneer, he was the foundation. He made it possible for that doubt to be taken away.

The act of multitrack recording is the act of arranging.

Everybody has their idiosyncrasies.

Greatness occurs when your children love you, when your critics respect you and when you have peace of mind.

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.

I was reading Omar Khayyam, Kahlil Gibran, Rumi, L. Ron Hubbard, all sorts of philosophy. Bebop cats are like that. Curious. I wanted to know about everything.