Leon Russell Quotes

The first time I heard Sam Cooke was in the 'Malcom X' film. I was with my father, and that's the first time I heard his song. I remember my father telling me the story of Sam Cooke.

There was a time in American history when almost every white person knew who Aretha Franklin was.

I always loved Sam Cooke, because he seemed very versatile. He sang gospel, soul, blues, pop music.

I knelt at the altar of Ray Charles for years. I worked at a restaurant, and that's all there was on the jukebox.

Amy Winehouse is one of my biggest inspirations.

I'm a huge closet Mariah Carey fan - she's got one of the best voices probably ever.

I think I'm more influenced, just in general, not by blues artists, but more by stuff from Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder is probably my biggest musical influence of all. And Donny Hathaway.

My ultimate film role would be to play the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin.

God bless Ray Charles. It was such an honor to meet him and sing with him and actually just to watch him sing from just two feet away.

Smokey Robinson is one of my heroes as a singer and songwriter; a major influence on my own music from the very start.

I was introduced to soul music at a very young age - my mom was a soul singer.

I'm coming from a Ginuwine and Usher background: slow and smooth songs. And that's why I really connected to Sam Cooke, because he was just very smooth. It's not like the James Brown types, which is all great stuff, but he was totally set apart from those guys.

If you think about it, Aretha did basically the same things that I do.

Who isn't a fan of Ray Charles?

I was privileged to know the late, great Miss Etta James, and I did get a chance to spend some time with her and hang out with her.

I'm a fan boy when it comes to Michael Buble. He's just so good at 'it'. He's got a voice of this generation, but he's like a time capsule; he's got a voice that could have fit in anywhere over the last hundred years. It's stellar.

First off, you can't replace Bobby Hatfield. I was just blessed to be able to sing with maybe the greatest singer in the world as a first tenor.

'As' by Stevie Wonder - it's the greatest song ever written, bro.

I grew up with Ray Charles playing in the car all the time or playing in the house.

You know, I thought seeing Aretha Franklin last year was amazing, and I didn't think anyone can top that. But if someone can, John Legend would be the man. In my mind, he's a legend, no pun intended.

Al Green is something else.

I had a few celebrity crushes when I was growing up, including Eddie Kendricks from the Temptations. And I loved Marvin Gaye - I thought he was everything and instantly fell for his voice.

Tina Turner gave me the highway blues.

I think the most-played record in our house was the 'Big Chill' Soundtrack - so Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations, Otis Redding. I think that's where I got my love for a good hook, a good soul hook - really smooth and warm and from the heart.

In my eyes, there's no one better than Stevie Wonder. He's a top dude.