Art Tatum -- he was a genius. And Einstein, not me.

If you can play the blues, you can do anything.

My music had roots which I'd dug up from my own childhood, musical roots buried in the darkest soil.

All my life I've always been so blue, born to lose, and now I'm losing you.

I can't help what I sound like. What I sound like is what i am. You know? I cannot be anything other that what I am.

I never considered myself part of rock 'n' roll. My stuff was more adult. It was more difficult for teenagers to relate to; my stuff was filled with more despair than anything you'd associate with rock 'n' roll. Since I couldn't see people dancing, I didn't write jitterbugs or twists. I wrote rhythms that moved me. My style requires pure heart singing.

I think that most great artists who are extremely known, as I am, would intimidate a lot of people. I don't want to do that to people, but I know I do.