We were playing popular music, but we were doing our own arrangements because we were too lazy to sit down and figure out the originals

It was more fun trying to figure out I Want To Hold Your Hand than to take lessons. By this time I knew basic chords

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

We're kind of defined by our mistakes

I soon gave up instruction for self-teaching

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 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.