"I never tried to prove nothing, just wanted to give a good show. My life has always been my music, it's always come first, but the music ain't worth nothing if you can't lay it on the public. The main thing is to live for that audience, 'cause what you're there for is to please the people." "All music is folk music. I ain't never heard no horse sing a song." What is jazz? Man, if you have to ask you'll never know. "There's some folks, that, if they don't know, you can't tell 'em." "If it wasn't for jazz, there wouldn't be no rock and roll." "It sure feels good to be up there with those Beatles." (On being asked about his new number 1 song "Hello Dolly".)