„(Lou) told me outright, there was no precedent for what I was doing, that I was either before my time or behind it.“
„… Purvis Staples and the Staple Singers …“
“ … Jimmy James and the Blue Flames …“
“John Henry was a steel-driving man / Died with a hammer in his hand / John Henry said a man ain’t nothin’ but a man / Before I let that steam drill drive me down / I’ll die with that hammer in my hand.”
„Big Bill Broonzy had a song called “Key to the Highway.“
„One of the songs I´m thinking about singing is Stand By Me by the Blackwood Brothers. Not Stand By Me the pop song. No. The real Stand By Me. The real one goes like this:
When the storm of life is raging / Stand by me / When the storm of life is raging / Stand by me / When the world is tossing me / Like a ship upon the sea / Thou who rulest wind and water / Stand by me In the midst of tribulation / Stand by me / In the midst of tribulation / Stand by me / When the hosts of hell assail / And my strength begins to fail / Thou who never lost a battle / Stand by me In the midst of faults and failures / Stand by me / In the midst of faults and failures / Stand by me / When I do the best I can / And my friends don’t understand / Thou who knowest all about me / Stand by me.
„… the blues, which is an American music, is not what you think it is. It´s a combination of Arabic violins and Strauss waltzes working it out. But it’s true.“
„Billy Lee Riley … He was a hero of mine. I´d heard “Red Hot.” I must have been only 15 or 16 when I did and it´s impressed me to this day.