Music was my joy, my home, the one place I felt happy and secure.

My accent remained terrible. It was very hard for me to initiate any conversation with someone I didn't know.

Night after night I could feel the chills go up and down my spine, they played so well.

One time I introduced my orchestra as the Shampoo Music Makers instead of the Champagne Music Makers.

Sounds always fascinated me.

The first time I try anything is invariably not very successful. I tend to grow slowly, but solidly.

The ones the listeners loved most of all in those early years were the four Lennon girls who became the whole nation's little sisters.

The William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh... was the place where Champagne Music was born.

This is the best biography by me I have ever read.

We really were a very musical family. Father managed to buy us a small pump organ, and I just loved this instrument.

When my parents first arrived there, North Dakota had just been admitted to the Union, and the country was still wild and harsh.

Whenever you have a minute I'd like to see you right now.

You know, it's a long world.

I realized some of the pitfalls of being well-known; it was nice if you were successful, but it made it just that much harder to take when you failed.

Never trust anyone completely but God. Love people, but put your full trust only in God.

Over and over I marvel at the blessings of my life: Each year has grown better than the last.

If you put all your strength and faith and vigor into a job and try to do the best you can, the money will come.

Conversation didn't seem necessary when I put the accordion down and swung some young lady around the floor.

There are good days and there are bad days, and this is one of them.

I have a tremendous desire to learn, and to grow, and to develop whatever I have that will make for any kind of improvement in me.