When I was a young musician, the only option available to pursue secondary education in music was to attend a classical conservatory.

When I look at great works of art or listen to inspired music, I sense intimate portraits of the specific times in which they were created.

We are living in a time when American popular music is finally being recognized as one of our most successful exports. The demand is huge.

Most people are satisfied with the junk food being sold as music.

I'm probably writing music now for the same reason as I started writing songs when I was 14 - to meet women.

I can't think of one person I've ever met who didn't like some type of music.

Don't make music for some vast, unseen audience or market or ratings share or even for something as tangible as money. Though it's crucial to make a living, that shouldn't be your inspiration. Do it for yourself.

There's a constantly applicable nature to soul music, whereas sometimes pop music can be a periodical.

I don't need my phone to play me music. I need it to be a phone and an e-mail thing.

It was stumbling on to really the bible of the blues, you know, and a very powerful drug to be introduced to us and I absorbed it totally, and it changed my complete outlook on music.