“Everyone felt like they knew Ray Charles and in a way they did, because he was embodied by his music.”

Laura had an instinctive feel for music and melody, and her delivery was sensational.

Theres two kinds of music: black soul music, and the white imitation thereof.

If I’d have continued it might have killed me. My doctor said I should stick to wine.

I first heard Laura Branigan sing live in my brother Nesuhi’s apartment, where we had gone because he had a very good piano. I immediately realized that she had a great pop voice, in the classical sense.

I used to drink a bottle of vodka a day, every day, for about 40 years and it never occurred to me it’d kill me.

There’s been so much bad blood between the Kurds and the Turks.

Everybody at Atlantic knew that we had a winner in this young lady, and she came through with great hits that will be remembered for many years to come.

I’ve been in the studio when you go through a track and you run down a track and you know even before the singer starts singing, you know the track is swinging.

I consider Laura to be one of my best signings, and I am proud to have had such a great singer in my career in the record business. We miss her dearly.

I did a little bit to raise the dignity and recognition of the greatness of African-American music.

My first wife was a theater person.

The main thing is that Ataturk saw the desperate condition of the countries that had not had an industrial revolution.

I should have gotten the Beatles. But one of my lawyers kind of messed up.

Another one is Eric Clapton. Another one is Phil Collins. Eminem, Kanye West I like all those people.

The all-time greatest Atlantic group – The Drifters

There are still many great surviving talents: Stevie Winwood. Another great talent is Stevie Wonder.

I tried to push him away with my head. I apologise to everyone. I should not have got involved in it.

I’ve always felt like there was a lot of hype around me even when there wasn’t. I felt like everyone was talking about me even when no one was talking about me.

My dream is to be World Lightweight Champion in the UFC. Have more money than I know what to do with. And have a great life for my kids, grandkids, and everyone in my family.

I wish everyone well, but you need to focus on yourself. You need to stop putting your hand out. Everyone wants hand outs. Everyone wants things for free.

Well, if you ask any filmmaker how they got into it, everyone came a different route.

The tragedy of this world is that everyone is alone. For a life in the past cannot be shared with the present.

The quest for heroic adventure then is a quest for the gospel, although it might not be seen that way by everyone.

I promise to look after everyone in the community, not just those who come to church, not just white people, not just the Christians.