“It’s going to be years and years before most people realize how greatly he contributed to American music.”

And as long as people have problems, the blues can never die.

I’m no good with chords. I’m horrible with chords.

Jazz is the big brother of the blues. If a guy’s playing blues like we play, he’s in high school. When he starts playing jazz it’s like going on to college, to a school of higher learning.

Sometimes the proprietors of the little juke joints gave me a couple dollars. I loved that. I’d go back next Saturday.

There are so many sounds I still want to make, so many things I haven’t yet done.

Education is the one thing that no one can take from you.

I do it because I still get a kick out of it. I still love performing. It keeps me young.

A guitar is like an old friend that is there with me.

We are here because there are things that need our help. Like the planet. Like each other. Like animals. The world is like a garden, and we are its protectors.

Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but no one wants to die to get there!

I’d rather be B.B. King. That’s the way I started. Let the heavy metal guys play heavy metal, let the others play the other … I try to do what I do better, not get away from it.

Religion began as a natural explanation of the universe. The problem started when people refused to accept new evidence.

If you want to be a good blues singer, people are going to be down on you, so dress like you’re going to the bank to borrow money.

A lot of people believe what other people say.

Water from the white fountain didn’t taste any better than from the black fountain.

When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing Lucille.

The more we are true to ourselves, the more we can connect with and contribute to the world.

In our evolution language has been the greatest single contribution to our understanding and misunderstanding

Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.

Being the Queen is not all about singing and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well.

No one came to earth empty; everybody came with a contribution to make to their generation. Most of them never find that gift and even more die never releasing it.

I’ve been around long enough for people to know who I am and what my contributions are. They know me as more than just an artist. I think they know me as a woman as well.

I donate heavily to the church and various churches in the Detroit community and food banks.

Life is not accumulation, it is about contribution.