I have to say I owe my career to the master composers of the Great American Songbook who have written such high-quality songs - the best popular music ever composed.

I think if you have a passion for what you do then there are no limitations on how long or how much you can accomplish.

My goal as a creative person is to express truth and beauty in whatever I do

What I really search for is something that I really love hearing, something that's my own private game: If I find a song I really like, I try to do a definitive version.

I try to tell the story about the song with the believability that I've lived it myself and I understand what it's all about.

I have to say I owe my career to the master composers of the Great American Songbook who have written such high-quality songs - the best popular music ever composed.

The bottom line of any country is: what did we contribute to the world? We contributed Louis Armstrong.