You said it, brother

'I was always afraid to say that I was a blues singer, because ... people kind of looked down on you a lot of times when you mention the word blues. But I thank God today I can stick out my chest and say, 'Yeah, I'm a blues singer!''

'The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.'

'I don't think anybody steals anything - all of us borrow.'

'The way I feel today, as long as my health is good and I can handle myself well and people still come to my concerts, still buy my CDs, I'll keep playing until I feel like I can't.'

'I think the clock is ticking, yes. In fact, I know it is. Frank Sinatra sang about the September of [his] years. I think I'm in the November of my years.'