"I don't mind being called a Tom, because I am a Tom. I'm a Tom for my race. I'm a Tom for my people. I'm a Tom for my good old United States of America."

"Seems to me that the only thing that matters is that we like it, and we do. We like to blow, and we like to swing. And we like to make people happy."

"I never thought I'd live to see the day when a black man could walk into a white restaurant and eat."

"Satchmo, that's what they call me. Short for Satchelmouth. Because of my big mouth."

"I always say, 'never play a thing the same way twice.'"