Willie Nelson

Musicians have to suffer to a certain degree in order to obtain their outlet.

I really feel like I made it a great record. I really feel good about it. In this day and age to make a record that you say, ‘This is different,’ that’s a tough nut. I did it by accident but it got done. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I know how to do it.

We made records to document ourselves, not to sell a lot of records. I still feel that way. I put out a record because I think it’s beautiful, not necessarily commercial.

Jazz is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all.

Sometimes you need to stand with your nose to the window and have a good look at Jazz.

The piano ain’t got no wrong notes.

I used to play pianos in bars. You know in hotels, you’d see guys playing piano with a snifter? That was me, with a painted-on mustache. I was about 15.

I hear beauty and elegance combined with passion and fire.

It’s not jazz as we know jazz here in America.

The greatest moments of the human spirit may be deduced from the greatest moments in music.

In this trumpet I hear our icons and the sound of the future.

[on B. B. King] Very seldom does he talks about the way he play, man. He always wanna talk about young women. And I fuss at him sometimes, I say, ‘Man I wanna know what did you do here!’

Play it f**kin’ loud!

To rise above the crowd, discipline yourself unceasingly to the strict demand and realities of your ambition.