I Can't Help What I Sound Like.

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder And Tears Are Only Rain To Make Love Grow.

I Never Considered Myself Part Of Rock 'n' Roll. My Stuff Was More Adult. It Was More Difficult For Teenagers To Relate To; My Stuff Was Filled With More Despair Than Anything You'd Associate With Rock 'n' Roll. Since I Couldn't See People Dancing, I Didn't Write Jitterbugs Or Twists. I Wrote Rhythms That Moved Me. My Style Requires Pure Heart Singing.

Music's Been Around A Long Time, And There's Going To Be Music Long After Ray Charles Is Dead. I Just Want To Make My Mark, Leave Something Musically Good Behind. If It's A Big Record, That's The Frosting On The Cake, But Music's The Main Meal.

I Had To Pawn My Clothes Just To Pay My Rent.

I'd Like To Think That When I Sing A Song, I Can Let You Know All About The Heartbreak, Struggle, Lies And Kicks In The Ass I've Gotten Over The Years For Being Black And Everything Else, Without Actually Saying A Word About It.