I sang and wrote songs when I was 12 years old.

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.

You look ridiculous if you danceYou look ridiculous if you don't danceSo you might as welldance.

It's vital to our survival to be positive.

To weep is to make less the depth of grief.

The poet cannot invent new words every time, of course. He uses the words of the tribe. But the handling of the word, the accent, a new articulation, renew them.

The things we hope for lead us to faith, while the things we hope in lead us to charity.

An instrument that sometimes expresses thought, sometimes obscures thought, but most often replaces thought.

Respecting other people's cultures is well and good, but I draw the line at where some branches of Islam, what they do to women. It's indefensible.

I got to see Linda's [Hart] live when it first came on Broadway. I just loved her. I've always been a fan of hers.

Armenian is the language to speak with God.

As a reporter, you develop an ear for dialogue because it's your job to capture it accurately.