In the 18th century James Hargreaves invented the Spinning Jenny and Richard Arkwright pioneered the water-propelled spinning frame which led to the mass production of cotton. This was truly revolutionary. The cotton manufacturers created a whole new class of people - the urban proletariat. The structure of society itself would never be the same.

So I went out and bought Hard Again by Muddy Waters. That was a big learning curve. I listened to that album again and again and again. James Cotton was the harmonica player on that album.

I would rather drudge out my life on a cotton plantation till the grave opened to give me rest than to live with an unprincipled master and a jealous mistress.

I wish they'd had electric guitars in cotton fields back in the good old days. A whole lot of things would've been straightened out.

I loved to get all dusty and ride horses and plant potatoes and cotton.

Mothers unless they were very poor didn't work. Both of my parents had to leave education. My mother had to work in a cotton mill until 18 or 19 when she took some training in domestic science.

After all those days in the cotton fields the dreams came true on a gold record on a piece of wood. It's in my den where I can look at it every day. I wear it out lookin' at it.

My mum was very conscious about fashion and my dad was born into the tailoring tradition so fashion has always been my life although now really I wear the same thing - just in different weights - light and heavy cashmere in winter and cotton in summer.

Cotton Owens was leading and daddy was second. They came up on me and I moved over to let them pass. Cotton went on but daddy bumped me in the rear and my car went right into the wall.

I got a phone call from Fearne Cotton. It was amazing! I literally couldn't believe it. It was so cool. It was the night before I was going on her show to sing on the 'Live Lounge.' She was so lovely.