You have to make a decided effort to not get seduced by the Blues.

Once you discover that you can, then you must.

Before I get out of bed, I am saying thank you. I know how important it is to be thankful.

I would still be singing, because it's part of my heart and my soul, and it lifts me up. Find something you would do for free.

I don't know where we got the notion that God wants us to suffer. Every living thing tends toward the good or we would have been gone a long time ago.

It's all background experience and listening and exposure. That's why it's so important for people today and during any time to expose your children to lots of different kinds of things.

To sing the ballad with a knowingness about what you are talking about. If it's somebody else's lyric, and the message is a little unusual for you, it requires that you learn that new message.

I sang do-wop on the street corner before it was called do-wop.

I did a concert at five years old in the garden of one of the church members, and we raised some money to buy a new piano in our little church.

I know more polkas than Frankie Yankovic. I grew up next door to the Polka Tavern in Milwaukee. I can sing some polkas. And proud of that.

That's the way I try to live. I think it's the only way for human beings at this point in our evolution as souls, where everyone in their lifetime is going through stuff.

I am happy.I have something to accomplish, create, and achieve.I am happy.

I said, 'I need to know how he died.'He flipped back and pointed at, 'Why?'So I can stop inventing how he died. I'm always inventing.

Years and years of happiness only make us realize how lucky we are to have friends that have shared and made that happiness a reality.

But I love being scared. I think you're brave only when you do things that scare you. I've always used fear as a motivator. I'm not sure why.

Twice – Once too often.

This directing thing just sort of fell my way and landed in my lap.

In my next life I want to be a pessimist. Then other people could spend all their time cheering me up.

Rigour and purity in assembling words, however simple the result, create a vacuum.

I tell people I'm big in the music business like a barnacle is big in shipping.

Government spending? I don't know what it's all about. I don't know any more about this thing than an economist does, and, God knows, he doesn't know much.