"We asserted ourselves as a music community, and showed legislators that music is positive. Especially if you've sold 300 million records worldwide and pay taxes"

"Music is my religion"

"A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm"

"Creating the kind of connections between people that lead to collective civic action, political expression, community dialogue, shared cultural experiences"

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away"

"I've always been into melodies. That's what I love about music – a good melody that gives you goosebumps"

"To separate children from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone"

"We worked very hard to make the lyrics suit the music. I can't, like Elton John, for example, compose by lyrics. Elton has a great talent for that. Whatever you give him, including your questions, he composes in half an hour and makes a great song out of it"

"Music is the shorthand of emotion"

"A nation creates music - the composer only arranges it"

"Music in the soul can be heard by the universe"