"The blues is the foundation, and it's got to carry the top. The other part of the scene, the rock 'n' roll and the jazz, are the walls of the blues."

"I don't want to be in some big beautiful place that nobody want me, because I play the blues."

"But you know, I still had a dream of being able to go back home and tour."

"I focused on how these people became how they were."

"But there was not a job that could say that Luther Allison didn't do his job."

"I want people to recognize Luther Allison when I play."

"Well, I first started going to Europe in the late '70s."

"But let's face it, I still have to look at my self and look at the things I've done down the stretch."

"But I never had that commercial opportunity to be played on the radio, so how could I be popular?"

"I think I'm the most positive guy still going in my generation, and I'm out there to prove that."

"Me being a skinny guy, I could crawl into the steel pit."

"In the States, it takes you a lifetime just to get from Chicago's South Side to the West Side."

"Before I left, I opened a lot of doors for a lot of people to play the blues."

"I look in music magazines now and see things on Luther Allison, and my name's getting out there more, thanks to all the good people at Alligator Records and at my management company."

"When I got to Chicago I had to find my way."

"I've been waiting for that bright sunshine to show up and shine in my back door someday."

"Well, I've had to deal with everything in my life... leavin' the family, learnin' what not and what to do."

"We played the same thing in Europe we played in the States."

"What I want to do, is play music for somebody who believe in me."

"I want to play in a place people want to hear me."

"I mean, look how many musicians have come through and played beside me, and I'm workin' and they're not."

"I have as much input to the blues; I just never got the chance, the opportunity or maybe the respect."