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

My father was a classical pianist, and my mother was a singer of just about everything.

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.

Undoubtedly, Patsy Cline was a trailblazer and in that respect, all women who are singular in a man's field have a special power.

You know, people want to honor me, and on the one hand I just don't want to be a poster child; but on the other, I want to do something classy and great - something where the residuals will go to the cause.

I always sang standards because the songs I wrote for myself weren't as easy to sing.

I had a mastectomy in 1998, and then chemo.