“People who try to define their spirituality sometimes are annoying, ’cause the spirit is something you feel and let guide you and humbly respect.”

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option.

There’s something in everyone only they know.

Folk is bare bones music.

The Blind Boys are truly the deepest well of American musical heritage you can discover.

I don’t know how to not become every person I walk by.

It will make a weak man mighty. it will make a mighty man fall. It will fill your heart and hands or leave you with nothing at all. It’s the eyes for the blind and legs for the lame. It is the love for hate and pride for shame. That’s the power of the gospel.

I’m really looking forward to, not more of the same, but a continual growth.

Forever always seems to be around when it begins, but forever never seems to be around when it ends

Now I love to feel that warm southern rain, Just to hear it fall is the sweetest sounding thing. And to see it fall on your simple country dress It’s like heaven to me I must confess.

Sometimes I feel I know strangers Better than I know my friends Why must a beginning Be the means to an end? The stones from my enemies These wounds will mend But I cannot survive The roses from my friends.

My head works in music, so there’s always music there.

You can’t just say ‘I love you,’ you have to live ‘I love you.’

I refuse to make uninspired music.

As a songwriter, I don’t rush. I may sit on lyrics for two years before the music hits.

We’re always moving forward in different places physically and psychologically.

I just want to keep doing what I feel.

I think that all of us either lose touch with the child inside us or try and hold onto it because it so precious to us and it’s such an extraordinary part of our lives.

Jeff Lynne is an arranger, and I think it’s probably much easier for him to go ahead and play a part himself than to try to show somebody else what he wants. But it’s hard for me to say; I barely know Jeff.

Learn to take losses quickly and cleanly. There is something about inside information which seems to paralyze a man’s reasoning powers.

The whole time you’re bouncing ideas off each other, you continue to try and push the songs as far as you can take them and make them the best that they can be.

I need to have perspective. That’s one of the big things former players told me, to not try to live up to anything, just live up to yourself.

Of course, when you work on a character, you try to understand her. You feel that everything she does has a reason.

I always try to work with people who are better than me, so I can learn more.

Yes, Americans can still get credit for cars and trucks and refrigerators, and those businesses are doing well. But just try to get a home loan now.