[on his first stringed instrument] It wasn't a guitar. In Louisiana you've got mosquitoes that will lift you out of bed and no glass in the windows. My mother saved ten cents and bought a piece of screen and tacked it on. I stripped little pieces of wire, stretched on nails and picked on it. Show less «

[on persuading President Obama to perform the blues] I'd have a double dose of blues if I had to remember all the names [he has to]. Somebody whispered that if you sing 'Sweet Home Chicago' he may come up and sing a verse. I was fit to go on the table if he didn't do it 'cause everybody'd be saying, Hey man, you done made some kind of remark at the Commander in Chief. Show less «

I listen to people in bars. I imagine some of those people don't know nothing about music, but they're singing to me, because what they said, I've been through. Show less «