Then I went through a big Peggy Lee stage, then I became Annie Ross, then Judy Collins.

I took it to heart that in order to be a good person; you never said anything mean about anybody.

The models for me were more the folk-rock singers of the '60s and '70s.

It didn't matter as much because I'm a singer, not an actress, but my face is more acceptable in a way now than when I first came on the scene, because I'm part black.

Do you know how many concerts I've done in my whole life, in more than 35 years of performing? Sixty-four.

You don't have to prove to me you're beautiful to strangers, I've got loving eyes of my own.

As a singer I tried on all these hats, these voices, these clothes, and eventually out came me.