The time has come to knock off this religion business in American politics. There’s no end to the mischief that can occur. It is like putting nitroglycerine in a Waring blender.
History makes the point time and time again No greater mischief can be created than to merge the power of religion with the power of government.
That wall, embodied in the First Amendment, is perhaps America’s most important contribution to political progress on this planet.
The United States is not a Christian nation. It is a great nation with Christians, among others, in it. But our greatness is based on the fact that there is no official religion.
The easiest way to stay awake during an after-dinner speech is to deliver it.
It is not wise for a man who can get seasick in a rowboat on a mill-pond to attack a Japanese dinner just after a seventeen days voyage across the Pacific.
The Filipino is worth dying for.
Live with honor and follow your conscience.
The blues is the foundation for a lot of things. Things have branched off. Its cool how music grows, but the foundation is always there. Its not going anywhere. The blues is always going to be relevant.
Most of my songs start out as being very aggressive and guitar-driven.
I don’t believe in competition, ain’t nobody else like me around.
You’re gonna know my name by the end of the night.
I’m somewhat of a hoarder. I keep everything.
Music is soaking up things that I see in other people or things that go on in my life, and I put it out there in the form of a song.
For a black male, the sound of the blues is pre-Civil Rights. It’s oppression.
I failed public speaking in grade school, ’cause I was so nervous and scared.
All I can do is do what I can do, and do what I know how to do. I do what I love to do, and that’s pretty much it.
My mom always told me I should have a Plan B. I said that if I’m not going to play guitar I’m going to play drums. And if I’m not going to play drums, I’m going to play bass. I always just wanted to play music. I was completely obsessed.
I like to see how people interact with each other and I draw from that. I’m inspired by that.
I know that I’m capable of moving around on the guitar. I can express myself the way I want to and feel good about it. But as far as technical chops, I’m not a learned musician.