I don't ever balk at being considered a Motown person, because Motown is the greatest musical event that ever happened in the history of music.
That's because we did not set out to make black music. We set out to make quality music that everyone could enjoy and listen to.
When someone picks up one of my songs and records it, I'm a flattered man, it's a blessing to me.
I had been stockpiling Gospel songs for other artists, and had planned to submit them to Gospel artists.
I've been speaking at churches for years, as well as juvenile jails, rehabs and hospitals, and I always talk about my faith. That is a declaration of my relationship with God.
As human beings, we're very materialistic and have all this stuff - furs and cars and diamonds and money.
One thing I can say about the Motown acts is that we were a family. That's not a myth.
Once you're a Motown artist, you're always a Motown artist.
People still look at Michael Jackson as being a Motown artist.
Once you're a Motown artist, that's your stigmatism, and I was there from the very first day.
Motown will always be a heavy-duty part of my life because those are my roots.
I left Motown because of the regime of people who were there.
Drugs are in every walk of life - doctors, lawyers, preachers, the guy who works for IBM, teenagers on the street, teenagers in school.
And I can say this, most of the people who have recorded my songs are songwriters themselves.
You know what, life is full of temptations.
As a kid, this is what I wanted my life to be. Not in my wildest dreams did I ever dare to dream that it would be this.
