I was lucky enough to first meet Elvis at his house in Bel Air and he used to invite different artists, singers and musicians, to come and jam with him at his house.

I would think, to me, growing up in the south, growing up with all the gospel music, singing in the church and having that rhythm and blues - the blues background was my big inspiration.

I think Ingmar Bergman, Francoise Truffaut - all these people created images in my mind, beautiful pictures, I loved what was known at that time as the foreign film.

Elvis was, at least the times I was around him, Elvis was a practical joker. He was always, had some little mischievous something going.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love.

I always went with my agenda, I just couldn't execute it.

Ignorance is kind of bliss.

I think to just single out a highlight of Elvis's career is pretty much impossible. As far as being a fan of his, a lifetime fan, there were just too many highlights.

Well, as an artist, I think that Elvis's generosity to me he always talked very highly about me, he always spoke very highly about my work and singing and my writing.

The happy story right now is the full page in Vanity Fair, which gives me a great deal of exposure.

Put a little love in your heart, and the world will be a better place.

I am only a peasant by position, not by nature!

I always wanted to be a writer but everyone kept telling me it was impossible to break into the field or make money. I've proven them wrong on both counts.

For now, feeling as though my own brain were unhinged or as if the shock had come which must end in its undoing, I turn to my diary for repose. The habit of entering accurately must help sooth me.

Schools should look behind classroom doors and determine the factors that contribute to the kinds of interactions between teachers and students that promote student achievement.

I just left wishing that it was longer because I enjoyed it so thoroughly.

I learned to just show up at the page and write down what I heard. Writing became more like eavesdropping and less like inventing a nuclear bomb.

Comics seemed to have a handle on things. They could sort of disarm and get control over reality. I found it very comforting to laugh.

Manhattan has generated a shameless architecture that has been loved in direct proportion to its defiant lack of self-hatred, has been respected exactly to the degree that it went too far.

Mass marketing means appealing to the masses which means appealing to the average.