You knew the difference between Barbra Streisand and Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles, straight away. Now everyone sounds like each other, and I don't think that's right.

I think you have a lot of really good artists today. You have your Beyonce, Usher, Nicki Minaj and the like. But our generation, the artists were stronger. You're talking about myself, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Gladys Knight, The Temptations, The Four Tops.

I don't dictate, you don't dictate to Stevie Wonder, not successfully.

We thought of her with Barbra Streisand, Barbara Boxer, Rob Reiner, Charles Schumer, even. Now I see her on a drift to the center.

Well I don't think I've scored my life exclusively to Ray Charles.

Everyone felt like they knew Ray Charles and in a way they did, because he was embodied by his music.