I know Mother named me after a railroad man, but it's too late now, I'm afraid. Much, much too late.

Ragtime was my lullaby.

Never play anything that don't sound right. You might not make any money, but at least you won't get hostile with yourself.

Slow motion gets you there faster.

The trouble with doing nothing is that you can never take any time off.

In Hollywood, the rainbow hits the ground for composers.

Traveling with a big band is like being an inmate in a traveling zoo.

I don't think I'll ever be president of anything.

I'm singing the music publisher's theme song - it ain't a commercial.

You sittin' here chained to your rockin' chair.

Most of us cling to life as if our existence were a result of our deed or choice.

Dig deep. Find your way to your soul.

Do you know anyone who has a lease on life? It isn’t a question of if; it’s a question of when.

Look at what your idea of success would be. The more that you take in external motivators, the more it reduces your ultimate satisfaction because it doesn't come from inside.

There is no state of satisfaction, because to himself no man is a success.

The presidents against Congress, the Senate is against the House, people are against politicians, and I'm against cats in the house.

The future is an infinite succession of presents.

Avoid fruits and nuts. You are what you eat.

The goal for me in business is to work on things I want to work on, and be as successful as I can, without achieving any sort of attention or fame. That would be the best. That would be ideal.

Pre-suasion is the practice of getting people sympathetic to your message before they experience it.