I don't live for poetry. I live far more than anybody else does.

Poetry seems to have been eliminated as a literary genre and installed instead as a kind of spiritual aerobic exercise - nobody need read it but anybody can do it.

When I am speaking about American presidents I have to speak about my very special relations with President Clinton. He contributed more to peace than anybody else in the American sense.

We have peace with Israel. We're actually the last man standing. So there is going to be immense pressure and people asking 'Why are we having this relationship when it's not benefiting anybody?' Obviously my answer is you always benefit from peace.

I challenge anybody to say that I wouldn't know how to approach foreign policy because unlike some of the other people I at least have a foreign policy philosophy which is an extension of the Reagan philosophy. Peace through strength and my philosophy is peace through strength and clarity.

Thus anybody who follows this nature and gives way its states will be led into quarrels and conflicts and go against the conventions and rules of society and will end up a criminal.

I don't need anybody to market or promote me. If people don't want to hear this music then it's not for them. You cannot please everybody.

It's really hard for me to sometimes put myself out there like 'Hey how do you feel about making music together?' because maybe I'm afraid of rejection or I don't want to put anybody out. It's the Southerner in me like 'I don't mean to bother you but do you mind making a song?'

I think Ray Charles did as much as anybody when he did his country music album. Ray Charles broke down borders and showed the similarities between country music and R&B.

Through literacy you can begin to see the universe. Through music you can reach anybody. Between the two there is you unstoppable.