I heard someone say that all black people got rhythm. Bullshit.

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.

Goodbye don't mean gone.

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.

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

I used to sing like Nat King Cole. I mean he was the guy when I was comin' up, and you know, man, people used to say of me, "Damn, he sure do sound like Nat King Cole." But there was a day, and luckily for me it was early, when I woke up and asked myself, "Well, when are the ask me to sing because I sound like me?" So my advice is, never do anything that you don't like.

What is a soul? It's like electricity - we don't really know what it is, but it's a force that can light a room.