Quotes

[on Elvis Presley] Elvis was the only man from northeast Mississippi, who could shake his hips and still be loved by rednecks, cops and hippies.

I have pretty much surrounded myself with Gulf Coast influences for a long time, and... if you listen to those songs, I think it's pretty much in there.

I'm inspired by people who keep on rolling, no matter their age. I've talked recently with Harry Belafonte and with Mose Allison, two musicians who continue to enjoy performing and life. Quitting doesn't enter my mind.

My mother insisted that her children read. To describe my scarce leisure time in today's terms, I always default to reading. It didn't hurt that I came from a Gulf Coast storytelling tradition. I went to the Caribbean because my grandfather sang calypso songs.

Humor has bailed me out of more tight situations than I can think of. If you go with your instincts and keep your humor, creativity follows. With luck, success comes, too.