You've got to appreciate the things that come from the art of the Negro and from the heart of the man farthest down.

With a guitar I would be able to express the things I felt in sounds.

Setting my mind on a musical instrument was like falling in love. All the world seemed bright and changed.

Life is like a trumpet - if you don't put anything into it, you don't get anything out of it.

Whenever I heard the song of a bird and the answering call of its mate, I could visualize the notes in scale, all built up within my consciousness as a natural symphony.

My big ears indicated a talent for music. This thrilled me.

If my serenade of song and story should serve as a pillow for some composer's head, as yet perhaps unborn, to dream and build on our fond melodies in his tomorrow, I have not labored in vain.

I knew the whistle of each of the river boats on the Tennessee.

You can never tell what's in a woman's mind, And if she's from Harlem, there's no use o' tryin

Saving was slow and painful.

Nature was my kindergarten.

Tears are words the heart can't express

Maybe you don’t need to understand her

I confess, I do not believe in time.

Habit is the daily battleground of character

Accept the present moment without judgement.

I feel very accomplished. It makes me feel great to know that I am impacting lives and of service to the world.

I had this wonderful, supportive mother who didn't get mad because of all the earth mucking up my bed. She just said they'd die - they needed the earth.

I think that, ah, I'm a very goofy sort of person in many ways.

When men are growing up and they're reading about Batman, Spiderman, Superman ... those are not fantasies ... they're options.

When I was an animal I evolved through selfishness. Now that I am a man my evolution can be achieved only through self-sacrifice.