We have been working with Habitat for Humanity and we have built eighty homes 80% of which are being lived in by New Orleans' musicians. It is called the Musicians' Village and at the center is the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music.

It means so much being a part of country music and the Opry.

And why is our music called world music? I think people are being polite. What they want to say is that it's third world music. Like they use to call us under developed countries now it has changed to developing countries it's much more polite.

I am quite certain in my heart of hearts that modern music and modern art is not a conspiracy but is a form of truth and integrity for those who practise it honestly decently and with all their being.

We are living in a time when American popular music is finally being recognized as one of our most successful exports. The demand is huge.

The music of Hendrix wakes people up to their possibilities. It's more than just dreaming about being a guitar hero.

People think our music's very aggressive or angry or whatever and it's just the opposite really... I like laughing. And I like being really calm before a show and smiley.

The calm mind allows one to connect with the inner self the Soul the very source of our being. That's where the music lives. That's where my music comes from.

My horizon on humanity is enlarged by reading the writers of poems seeing a painting listening to some music some opera which has nothing at all to do with a volatile human condition or struggle or whatever. It enriches me as a human being.

Maybe someday you can accuse somebody of being a poseur by selling out and playing blues music but that's just not going to happen in my lifetime.