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.

Music is nothing separate from me. It is me... You'd have to remove the music surgically.

It's like Duke Ellington said, there are only two kinds of music - good and bad. And you can tell when something is good.

Just because you can't see anything , doesn't mean you should shut your eyes.

I never said I was a genius. I never said I was a cornerstone. I've never said I'm a legend in my own time. You never heard me say nothing like that.

You never can overwhelm an instrument. You will never get out all that's in an instrument. An instrument will bring you to your limits.

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