I think Ingmar Bergman, Francoise Truffaut – all these people created images in my mind, beautiful pictures, I loved what was known at that time as the foreign film.

Ignorance is kind of bliss.

Well, as an artist, I think that Elvis’s generosity to me he always talked very highly about me, he always spoke very highly about my work and singing and my writing.

I went to art school, I think it helped me a great deal because it taught me who I am.

There are some good songs, but not the kind of song-writing that I remember, that I like. Springsteen still does it. Paul Simon, and there are also good writers, but that doesn’t dominate the charts.

When Elvis was performing, you just tried to figure out a way to get there. I think he set all the records and anyone that has ever had the good fortune to see him, you know what it’s like to try to get in to see Elvis. It was impossible, practically.

Elvis was, at least the times I was around him, Elvis was a practical joker. He was always, had some little mischievous something going.

I think, describing Elvis for me would be a very generous king. He was the king of rock and roll, will always be. He’s whats made it possible for everyone to be performers and to do the things they do now.

I think to just single out a highlight of Elvis’s career is pretty much impossible. As far as being a fan of his, a lifetime fan, there were just too many highlights.

I mean, I can sit down with a guitar, and in fact, we do two, three songs with just guitar and percussion.

I was lucky enough to first meet Elvis at his house in Bel Air and he used to invite different artists, singers and musicians, to come and jam with him at his house.

The happy story right now is the full page in Vanity Fair, which gives me a great deal of exposure.

When I used to go to Elvis’s house was always a nightmare trying to get into the house because of so many fans outside the gate and he really couldn’t go anywhere without sneaking in or doing something because people just wanted to be around him and to be with him.

And being away and not performing for a long time and really connecting with my audience for a long time, I have a great responsibility to myself and to them to do it exactly the way the process was when I was young.

No, I got my web site going and said I have the record out. People were just falling on the floor – they couldn’t believe it – after all that time. You know, it wasn’t a compilation, it was new songs.

I think Ingmar Bergman, Francoise Truffaut – all these people created images in my mind, beautiful pictures, I loved what was known at that time as the foreign film.

I always went with my agenda, I just couldn’t execute it.

We have to set our own agenda, we have to set our own standards, we have to be very strong about what we want, we have to be very strong about our passion and if it’s not right for you, you shouldn’t do it just because you’re advised by so-called geniuses.

And unless you have that sense of being creative, people think you’re just working all the time.

I’m very interested to see how this new painting will go – I know I want it big and stark, and as I said, I follow the muse, and that’s when it always works perfectly for me.

And I just remember, you know, breaking into tears and feeling so empty because, as long as Elvis was in the world, you always knew something was going and he always had something that kept everybody mesmerized.

I would think, to me, growing up in the south, growing up with all the gospel music, singing in the church and having that rhythm and blues – the blues background was my big inspiration.

There was a lot of great writing couples, but I try to do it all myself. And it was practically impossible, but I still managed to be ahead of my time.