The music played most around St. Louis was country-western and swing. Curiosity provoked me to lay a lot of the country stuff on our predominantly black audience. After they laughed at me a few times, they began requesting the hillbilly stuff.

My first job at Gleason's Bar in Cleveland was $800 a week, when I was making $92 a week with overtime at the automobile plant.

I made records for people who would buy them. No color, no ethnic, no political - I don't want that, never did.

Respect isn't enough. You've got to have a proprietary interest.