Had I not come out with an inspirational CD, you perhaps would have never known that I feel like I feel, that all songs, all the music I've ever done is a gift from God.

Once you're a Motown artist, you're always a Motown artist

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day

I don't ever balk at being considered a Motown person, because Motown is the greatest musical event that ever happened in the history of music

As human beings, we're very materialistic and have all this stuff - furs and cars and diamonds and money.

If you feel like loving me, if you've got the notion, I second that emotion.

The only thing you're taking out of here is your spirit and your soul, so we need to be conscious to try and develop that part of ourselves, because we're all spiritual creatures.

Songwriting is my gift from God

One thing I can say about the Motown acts is that we were a family. That's not a myth

Mistakes, I know I've made a few. But I'm only human, you've made mistakes, too.

I will bring you a flower from the floor of the sea to wear in your hair.

We all care intensely for the narrative of our own life and very much want it to be a good story, with a decent hero.

I’m a politician so I only endorse myself.

Think and keep quiet among those you don't trust.

Imagination only fails us in the end, when the stories we tell ourselves have to stop.

Her brain said, he’s like a brother to you. Her body rejected that notion absolutely. Her heart was confused as hell.

When I'm working on a novel of my own, I try to read mostly nonfiction, although sometimes I break down and peek at something else.

Original sin is the only doctrine that's been empirically validated by 2,000 years of human history.

Like Ron Lorman's always sayin', "Na-na-na-na-na," you know what I mean? I don't need that in the studio.

My mom. She really encouraged me. That's the trouble with education: Unless you have a really supportive parent, you get left behind.

It's terrible to allow conventional habits to gain a hold on a whole household; to eat, sleep and live by clock ticks.