“The things Elvis has done during his career and the things he has contributed and created are really something very important to the music business.”

You need a plan for yourself, just like you need a plan for a business.

My golf is woeful, but I will never surrender

[Louis Armstrong] was the only musician who ever lived, who can’t be replaced by someone.

Honestly, I think I’ve stretched a talent which is so thin it’s almost transparent over a quite unbelievable term of years.

When I’m worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep. And I fall asleep … counting my blessings.

He never contributed a damn thing to music. (on Elvis Presley)

There is nothing in the world I wouldn’t do for (Bob) Hope, and there is nothing he wouldn’t do for me … We spend our lives doing nothing for each other.

I’m proud to acknowledge my debt to the ‘Reverend Satchelmouth’ … He is the beginning and the end of music in America

Once or twice I’ve been described as a light comedian. I consider this the most accurate description of my abilities I’ve ever seen.

That was a great game of golf, fellers.

In the old days the studios guided your career. Now it’s all up to you.

My career has been different from most people, but I knew what I was not going to do.

I think all phases of one’s career are serious if you take it seriously no matter if you are doing high profile dramatic pieces or not.

It took me a long time to get to where I’m at, in my career and as a man. I was going through my trials and tribulations in life, and it gave me the strength to tackle things that have come my way.

I really worshipped Mama Cass a lot. Mama Cass, who was really fat and she didn’t lose weight. Yeah, she went on diets but for the most part of her life and the better part of her career she was a big person.

One of the reasons for The Walt Disney Company’s long- term success is really the first of Dr. Deming’s famous points, “create constancy of purpose.” In his professional career,

I’ve been fortunate in my career to have performed in revivals of great musicals and to have originated roles in musicals that have in turn been revived. And I’m not dead!

Don Knotts left [Andy Griffith Show] to pursue a movie career, so once he was gone I left too.