I close my eyes when I sing so I can feel the song better.

Faith and prayer are the vitamins of the soul; man cannot live in health without them.

Gospel music rhythms are not African in origin, although I know that's what the jazz experts say.

When you sing gospel you have a feeling there is a cure for what's wrong.

It is easy to be independent when you've got money. But to be independent when you haven't got a thing, that's the Lord's test.

Man has no nobler function than to defend the truth.

God can make you anything you want to be, but you have to put everything in his hands.

Baby, black promoters oppressed me before white promoters ever got hold of me. Don't talk skin to me.

Gospel songs are the songs of hope. When you sing gospel you have the feeling there is a cure for what's wrong, but when you are through with the blues, you've got nothing to rest on.

I sing God's music because it makes me feel free. It gives me hope. With the blues, when you finish, you still have the blues.

Without a song, each day would be a century.

Originality is so hip and cool, but to be original you must dare to be corny.

Enterprises have customers! Ask them for feedback and you can compete with startups!

The United States government does not authorise or condone torture of detainees. Torture, and conspiracy to commit torture, are crimes under US law, wherever they may occur in the world.

My mother has all my awards, because if I walked downstairs every day and saw all my achievements it would be so easy to become complacent.

As time went on, I got envious and wanted to do a lot of stunts myself

Poverty, the mother of manhood. Also, the mother of prostitution.

I'd rather be screwed up with you than smooth with anybody else.

Today's comics use four-letter words as a shortcut to thinking. They're shooting for that big laugh and it becomes a panic thing, using four-letter words to shock people.

I think every program needs to stand the sunshine of righteous scrutiny. Whether it's Social Security, whether it's Medicaid, whether it's Medicare.

Strict justice would demand total confiscation of your property, personal imprisonment and fines.