I never bothered about keeping track.Every now and then someone records one of my songs, and I get credit for it.

I went through the whole number, you know. The swing era, the boogie woogie era, the bebop era. Thelonious Monk is still one of my favorites. So a lot of these people had their effect on me.

All the classic jazz players all sang and a lot of 'em sang blues.

Everybody cryin' mercy / When they don't know the meaning of the word.

The things that really matter don't mix with idle chatter.

Ever since the world ended, I don't go out as much

I have no idea what I'm doin'. I've never seen me.

I been getting good crowds. It only took 50 years.

I'm playin' music for a certain type of person. Fortunately, there are more and more of us. At least there are more comin' to see me than there were 30 years ago or so.

As far as I'm concerned, the essentials of jazz are: melodic improvisation, melodic invention, swing, and instrumental personality.

I never sit down and write. I just sorta let things form in my brain.

And then we ease him out of that worn-out body with a kiss, and he's gone like a whisper, the easiest breath.

I mean, I really liked him to the point where being around him was sort of wonderful and painful all at the same time, you know?

Birds have wings they're free they can fly where they want when they want. They have the kind of mobility many people envy.

Enabling is the enemy of motivation.

Fate is a wheel that turns without our hand

Researchers have found very little difference between men and women in terms of the amount of time spent gossiping.

He just got his body between himself and the goal.

You can be interested in a Jane Smiley novel whether or not anyone says a word. She enters into her characters thoughts with great understanding and depth.

The White Album is important to me for different reasons. One - I had left the band on the White Album.

It's important to wake up everyday and remind yourself what you're working towards. You create your own life, it's not set out there for you.