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

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.

[On his heroin addiction:] I did it to myself. It wasn't society...it wasn't a pusher, it wasn't being blind or being black or being poor. It was all my doing.

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

Music is the chalk to the blackboard of life. Without it everything is a blank slate

Music to me is just like breathing. I have to have it. It's part of me.

Music is about the only thing left that people don't fight over.