When I started writing it was kind of hard getting people to do my stuff. They' say they couldn't do my style.

I used to go down every year for the remembrance of Elvis' birthday. Memphis State College invited me to sit in the auditorium and speak to the people for one of those Elvis days.

I like this town, it's really great. They've put me in The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. This town is about music. It's about the kind of music I like.

When I was young, I just sat down and started playing Chopsticks at the piano. I got so far and then lost interest. Eventually, I regained it and started writing songs.

I used to be with a publishing house called Roosevelt Music. A gentleman there told me he had seen Peggy Lee perform Fever in Las Vegas and I found out later she wanted to record it.

I'd hate to be a songwriter starting a career today.

John Keats / John Keats / John / Please put your scarf on.

men, in so far as they live in obedience to reason necessarily do only such things as are necessarily good for human nature, and consequently for each individual man.

Nothing at all will be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.

I can clap with one hand.

It's always dangerous when boring people think they're creative.

Back in the day you wanted your albums to have a theme, and 'Sports' theme was really a collection of singles. It was really a record for its time.

All good things in life are fragile and easily lost

Do whatever you want because that's not what you are. That's what you do for the moment.

That shot moved like... I was going to say a shop, but the shop's shut

I stopped my iTunes festival set because someone fainted at the front. It felt like the right thing to do at the time but maybe I was being too sensitive.