I felt like the blacks had gotten lost in musical trends in some ways, and got away from what they were really looking for.

I started Michael years ago. I saw him in Gary, Indiana, and we’d have him on the talent shows. He kind of emulated me, and did the best he could.

I taught them everything they know, but not everything I know.

I thank God for the Apollo Theater. When I saw those people, that was the awards.

I was stillborn. The midwives laid me aside, thought I was really gone. I laid there about an hour, and they picked me back up and tried again, ’cause my body was still warm. The Good Lord brought me back.

I’m kidding about having only a few dollars. I might have a few dollars more.

I’ve outdone anyone you can name – Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Strauss. Irving Berlin, he wrote 1,001 tunes. I wrote 5,500.

Thank God for the journey.

The one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing.

When I’m on stage, I’m trying to do one thing: bring people joy. Just like church does. People don’t go to church to find trouble, they go there to lose it.

You only live once.

I hope you live 200 years, and that I live 200 years minus one day, so I never know beautiful people like you passed away.