“Ladies, friends, and music – without those three, I wouldn’t wanna be here.”

I call myself a blues singer, but you ain’t never heard me call myself a blues guitar man.

Kenny Burrell is overall the greatest guitarist in the world and he’s my favorite.

God made Blues right after he made woman.

I can’t afford no liquor, all I can buy is beer and wine.

Notes are expensive, spend them wisely.

I gave you seven children, but now you want to give them back.

Growing up, I was taught that a man has to defend his family. When the wolf is trying to get in, you gotta stand in the doorway.

I can’t think of anyone I’ve mistreated. I’ve always thought that I am my brother’s keeper. And I believe there’s a ‘great spirit’ that takes care of all of us.

I don’t do much recording anymore, but before I really stopped, I was glad to get five, five cent a record. That’s why when I see people today and they complain about what they get, and I picked cotton for $2.50 a day.

When you don’t have much money, you worry that they’ll just put you in the ground someplace and your loved ones won’t know where you are.

I thought Eric Clapton was good. He still is. Not only is he good – he’s rock’s #1 guitarist, and he plays blues better than most of us.

You never miss what you’ve never had. I never had any other life. I didn’t know any other life.

Janis Joplin sings the blues as hard as any black person.

I don’t think it’s meant for man to know everything at once.

The blues was like that problem child that you may have had in the family. You was a little bit ashamed to let anybody see him, but you loved him. You just didn’t know how other people would take it.

The blues are three L’s – living , loving and hopefully, laughing.

I was a Republican until they lost their minds.

A governor can be a very good friend to people. A governor can be a formidable force.

Praise from a friend, or censure from a foe, Are lost on hearers that our merits know.

Wherever I am when you feel sick at heart and weary of life, or when you stumble and fall and don’t know if you can get up again, think of me. I will be watching and smiling and cheering you on.

He makes no friend who never made a foe.

He that wrongs his friend, wrongs himself more.

Get your enemy to read your works in order to mend them, for your friend is so much your second self that he will judge too like you.

Thou wert my guide, philosopher, and friend.