The best thing you can do is to be a woman and stand before the world and speak your heart.

It's a spirit that was given me and the relationships and meeting all these great people, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong; through Max I met a lot of people too. My first album was with Benny Carter.

I am the first instrument. I am the voice. I do not imitate other instruments. Other instruments imitate me.

But I've been there and done that. I'm not trying to prove anything to anybody, and if somebody wants me to come, if they can afford what I ask, it's not as much as Madonna makes; not that I want what Madonna makes, but I was saying.

You can never loose a thing If it belongs to you.

I think that's what really a substantial work is, it's forever. It's the truth now and it was the truth then, and it will be the truth tomorrow.

I don't have to lay on the couch and see a therapist because my therapist is in my paint brushes.