Sonny Rollins

Well, what did I learn about myself?

Well, I learned that...

I had the strength to get over something which was really deep.

And I think one of the things that I always feel good about myself was that I was able to overcome that.

Because I really had to struggle, you know, when I came away from the hospital one time and I went back to the nightclub.

It was really the classic scene of the old drug pushers standing there saying, come on, man, come on, you know, and this is good.

And I really went through the classic scene of fighting myself, you know, saying, well, gee, if I go with them, it wouldn't be so bad.

It's just one time and maybe I should do it and

Why not?

And then that's the other part of me saying, no, don't do it.

You know, I mean, the real classic battle between good and evil, right and wrong, whatever you want to call it.

But anyway...

I won out, and that's one thing that I really feel good about myself.

I really went into the lion's den and came out alive.

Well, then I felt I could do anything, and I could get back to what I really wanted to do, which was my music.

Well, I don't know.

Actually, I think I always had strength in my music, even when I was a kid and I used to practice for hours and hours and hours at a time.

I mean, I always had something within myself which enabled me to be alone and play and get into what I'm doing and not...

think about anything else and really get into this stuff myself.

So actually, by getting rid of these negative elements, I was just able really to return to what I had in the beginning, you know.