In 1940 I came across a record by Jimmy Yancey. I can't say how important that record is. From then on, all I wanted to do was play the blues.

I wanted to be able to play guitar. I wanted to be able to make music hurt.

When I came back to California in the early '60s I was hanging out with Jimmy Bowen, Phil Spector, and I wanted to be a record producer and work with other artists.

Blues and jazz pulled me away from what was left of my family.

The parallel development in American blues to the British movement has resulted in Johnny Winters.

In those days, between the ages of 12 and 18 you meant nothing. You were the extra place at the side table if someone came to dinner. You were of no interest to anyone.