Nowadays it's hard to get somebody to invest the time - everybody wants to be famous rather than be a good musician.

My family was into music. My dad was into music down south. My mom and grandmother were into gospel music so there were all types. That was my inspiration.

Don't try to be someone else. Be yourself.

Just immerse yourself in the culture of the music - it will open some doors for you.

I'm a firm believer that you learn a hell of a lot more from your failures than you do from your successes.

I'm just a restless soul musically.

Some of the best advice I was given was that me doing a bad version of me is better than me doing a good version of someone else.

When you are sitting in a room and somebody does something or says something and a thought comes, an idea or a melody - you have to just grab it while it's there because it will go away.

I like to say that I had a really good musical education because it was inclusive of all styles of music and I like it like that.

Chase your dream with all your strength.

There are two Newman's laws. The first one is "It is useless to put on your brakes when you're upside down." The second is "Just when things look darkest, they go black.

Like all pure creatures, cats are practical.

When the road you're on begins to crumble, forge ahead - better it crumble behind you than ahead of you.

If I hadn't become a celebrity, I'd probably be an alcoholic.

I've always been very zealous about not invading other people's private spaces.

Knitted fur is so modern and light, it makes this retro shape cool again.

Books to judicious compilers, are useful; to particular arts and professions, they are absolutely necessary; to men of real science, they are tools: but more are tools to them.

For I have known them all already, known them all— Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.

A healthy degree of party unity among Democrats and Republicans has deteriorated into bitter partisan warfare.