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

Music is my life, professionally, for nearly 60 years. To be recognized by the academy is still the highest honor.

I had to pawn my clothes just to pay my rent.

If somebody don't like something that I do, that's his or her prerogative. Just like it's mine.

Live each day like it's your last, 'cause one day you gonna be right

I don't know what would have happened to me if I hadn't been able to hear.

I was born with music inside me. That's the only explanation I know of