Music's been around a long time, and there's going to be music long after Ray Charles is dead. I just want to make my mark, leave something musically good behind. If it's a big record, that's the frosting on the cake, but music's the main meal.

The fact of the matter is, you don't give up what's natural. Anything I've fantasized about, I've done.

Nowadays they say you need a special chip to put in the TV so kids can't watch this and that. In my day, we didn't need a chip. My mom was the chip. End of story.

I sing what I sing true. Each night I sing it the way I feel that night.

Sometimes my dreams are so deep that I dream that I'm dreaming.

Do it right or don't do it at all. That comes from my mom. If there's something I want to do, I'm one of those people that won't be satisfied until I get it done. If I'm trying to sing something and I can't get it, I'm going to keep at it until I get where I want it.

Learning to read music in Braille and play by ear helped me develop a damn good memory.