Then, when I had the opportunity to go to Africa and visit the villages, I heard the real, raw, true rhythms and realised the origins of the old Negro spirituals I grew up with in the South.

I influence people, hopefully on the positive side.

If you enjoy the fragrance of a rose, you must accept the thorns which it bears.

I always keep my head down, working, doing things, moving forward. That's what I've done all my life. Then you stop and realize what you've done.

I don't sit back and count up what I've done. There's just always something else to do. There's always a challenge ahead.

I love soul. But I love a tune that has some meat in it. Something I could hang my hat on. Because music is universal.

Know the business, learn the business, own something.

Don't slip into the traps, and don't forget about your 'hood, the kids in the 'hood. Remember, you're disposable, so take advantage while you can.

Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honoured.

There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry toward religious beliefs... begins.

Self-expression is always a right, but its still not there to be abused.

Don't tell me you're not beautiful. You're the kind of beautiful the blind would see if we could figure out some way to give them three seconds of sight.

It takes a long time before we cease to feel proud of being wanted. Though God knows why we should feel it, when we look around and see who is wanted too.

I never cultivated a personality. Almost everyone who is really famous has cultivated a personality.

Of course God is endlessly multi-dimensional so every religion that exists on earth represents some face, some side of God.

Art has to move you and design does not, unless it's a good design for a bus.

I wanted to connect my guitar to human emotions.

A sweet thing, for whatever time, to revisit in dreams the dear dad we have lost.

In a retreat the lame are formost. [In a retreat the lame are foremost.]

I know people who are really talented at writing, and they just don't ever make it happen because they're also good at other things.

Burdens are the foundations of ease and bitter things the forerunners of pleasure.