When I was about 3, my grandfather used to give me and my sister a nickel to sit out on the front porch with him and sing songs.

When I became 16 I started thinking seriously about singing.

There were some older guitarists on my side of town, and I got to know many of them

I remember my first moment onstage was at a 4-H contest at the Pratville Junior High School cafeteria auditorium around 1965. I had my first electric, a Silvertone with the amp built into the case, and I won first prize.

I was born in Alabama and my first live music experiences were in church. Every Sunday we watched regional gospel groups on television singing their hearts out

Success is fickle, but creativity is a gift.

I never did heroin, because I thought that meant I was doing heavy drugs, which shows you the insanity of doing drugs. I probably should have done heroin, because I understand heroin actually makes you feel good. Cocaine just makes you stupid.