Now, there are people that are Christian artists, because they have a purpose to be evangelical for Christ. I don't feel I've been called to that yet. Now, that could change. There's no telling what kind of call God will put on my life.

I had a very unusual contract. Most artists actually pay for their record dates and it comes out of their royalties. I paid for nothing.

I love Ruth Brown, not just her singing, but Ruth Brown has more girl power than anyone, because she fought hard against people who ripped her off and then helped other artists through the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.

There are different kinds of artists and very often, I'll be very frank with you, I wish I were a different kind.

At the time, the only options were playing the local county fair. Now with American Idol and younger recording artists that have come out, there is more of an opportunity.

Mistakes and dead-ends often mean more to these artists than any proven problem.

Some artists imagine they've got a hold on this apparatus, which in fact has got a hold of them. As a result, they end up supporting a cultural prison that is out of their control.

Artists themselves are not confined, but their output is.

Artists are expected to fit into fraudulent categories.

Artists are traditionally resistant to labels.

An artist may have burdens the ordinary citizen doesn't know, but the ordinary citizen has burdens that many artists never even touch.

The new artists coming through were very materialistic and Hollywood, not so engaged in communication.

The notion of making money by popular work, and then retiring to do good work, is the most familiar of all the devil's traps for artists.

Challenge America grants go to the towns and hamlets of this sprawling country, where big touring companies will rarely go, and major actors, actresses, writers and artists may never appear in person.

The difference between me and the newer artists is that I have the history with the architects, the masters that started the music. I know where the music came from.