I'm never sure if I'll ever write another song, what the song will be about and if what initially sparked the beginning of a song might complete it.

I found myself in the middle of a race riot when I was about 14 years old, and I found someone pointing a gun at me and telling me to run or they'd shoot me.

Consume more than you need This is the dream Make you pauper Or make you queen I won't die lonely I'll have it all prearranged A grave that's deep and wide enough For me and all my mountains o'things

Songwriting is a very mysterious process. It feels like creating something from nothing. It's something I don't feel like I really control.

Growing up in Cleveland, I learned about singing from my mother, who had once sung professionally and who admired Mahalia Jackson and Aretha Franklin.

I end up writing about all kinds of things. I never make an attempt to write about anything in particular. I don't have a little list of topics to write about.

We are the spirit, the collective conscience. We create the pain, and suffering, and beauty in this world.