I don’t like rap that you can’t understand. The youth is so quick and alert.

I was being an artist, being sensitive and technical as artists are. I’m sure Leonardo Da Vinci did that. Artists don’t always feel the same as others feel about their work.

I couldn’t get my album played over the so-called smooth jazz stations. Jazz stations would not play it. You don’t always know who you’re making that soul connection with.

I think music all the time.

Most musicians count at the beginning, and never count and talk to their musicians after that. They only talk to them at the end of the song. But I would count with them and talk.

I’ve been sampled so much and I’m glad it’s happened, it’s a great compliment.

I was with PolyGram; that was the big label that I was with for the longest, like 12 years.

Only a certain number of people go to a store over the period of a year. When a person sees my record on the shelf, it eliminates someone else’s record from being sold. It’s about...

What we call soul has been around a long time. It comes out of a particular culture that is African in origin, but influenced by 250 years of slavery, as well as other forms of...

I’d definitely love to play in Nashville again. That would be really good.

People are always defining and re-defining music. My style of playing has been characterized as smooth jazz and acid jazz. I listen as I play; I’m not caught up in defining the type of music...

Soul has no musical geographical or racial boundaries.

I’m celebrating my 40th year in show business this year.

People in England were coming up to me, saying, My mother and father turned me on to your music. This happened to me 20 years ago. When I was 40 they were saying that.

You grow and learn a lot about the industry and what happens behind closed doors over the years.

Now I get exposure first with people directly in the clubs. This is a unique situation for me.

The majors, they have to control the distribution, the record outlets, the radio and, in some cases, even the venues. And downloading and pirating have also put pressure on the majors.

Back in the day, I used to be in the studio recording 20 hours a day. And that was all of the time. I still record a lot of hours, but I don’t go as...

Artists don’t always know. Almost every song I ever recorded that was a hit at the majors that the promotional people picked I didn’t think it would be a hit. I was wrong every time!

When I was recording from ’70 to ’82, I always played piano and laid the tracks down. But I used to talk to the other musicians while the track was playing.

Some people really trip on success or popularity. My friends would talk to me about that, about tripping on all this stuff, but you know what I tripped on? I started buying property.

I don’t think I’m really so unique. If every black person looked at their life they would quickly discover that they have been influenced by every type of music prevalent in America.

The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.

I got married in 1973, and my career was really at its peak between 1975, and ’81-’82. Everything I put out could do no wrong. Like you can’t imagine.

A lot of the hip hop artists don’t write music. They write words.

Most artists have contracts directly with the record company, and when they do music, all of their music is owned by the record company. But I did mine through a production company.

I don’t trip on that much. I just like to enjoy life and be happy.

I’m not imprisoned within any particular style or category of music. I grew up in the be-bop culture or what people today call classic jazz.

DJs and people in the street know what they like.

I generally sell my records online or at the show. You can undersell the distributor and the stores, and people know what they’re getting cause they’ve just seen you live.

Having good health, being able to breathe and be happy, that’s one of the most beautiful gifts. On top of that, I have the gift to play music and make people happy through that. I’m...

It’s a new day and new things are happening. There will be other ways for artists to sell their records and distribute their product.

I always had this energy level that made me want to come to New York.

I still look good. I’m trippin’, but people tell me that all the time. So check it out, I’m 63, and still kicking. I’ve been putting records out every year.

It’s a wonderful feeling just being in this creative motif.

Polydor used to release me at different times around the world. You get your royalty statement: sales here, here, but never over there!