I don't sit in the corner waiting for death: death has to pursue me. I'm going strong. I hope to reach 100 and ask for an extension, just like my grandmother did.

The roots of Cuban music are in my head.

Ry Cooder for me is a master, a great master that has a wonderful feel for Cuban music. He's also paid tribute my talent a bit, even though I don't know half of what he knows.

My secret? A desire to work, years of dedication and loving what you do; I can't live without music.

Can you imagine that Cuba and Europe's youth, who had forgotten about traditional music, who only thought of rock music, are now looking back towards their grandparents? That is a phenomenon.

Towns are suffering from all these things, we should unite until we are all satisfied, man cannot be killing each other as if we were animals, as if we had no culture; that is a lack of culture.

As far as pleasures, you've got to have limits. You shouldn't have too much of good things, so you'll always have a desire for more and you won't get bored.

When it comes to musicians, I'm like the daddy of musicians here in Cuba.

I've done a lot of things away from my homeland.

Cubans are frantic when it comes to appreciating music.

I'll only stop singing when I'm in my grave.

Don't leave anything for anyone who is eventually going to leave you.

How you think matters. How you act matters more.

Tell me I'm not crazy, " He said. I couldn't do that. I was nowhere near sane enough at the moment to advise anyone else on rational behavior.

Love is faith in action." ~R. Alan Woods [2006]

The average user doesn't give a damn what happens, as long as (1) it works and (2) it's fast.

When I try to understand somebody, create a character, I fall into them. When I think writers are telling me what to think, I get harrumphy.

If you're not humble, life will visit humbleness upon you.

Being convinced one knows the whole story is the surest way to fail.

Awareness means you come with an inner light, you move fully alert. Each step is taken in awareness - the walking, the coming, the sitting - everything is done in full awareness.

war to win peace is at best a dangerously illogical method.