There have been great things that happened to me.

Music, in its higher state, for me, is worth living and dying for. It's worth traipsing around the globe, it's worth the accolades and the other side of the accolades...I always have sung to the angels and the higher parts of people's souls.

Your own shoes are hard enough to fill, but somebody else's are even tougher.

I lucked out when I started to sing. I'd already experienced failing at everything else.

On my darkest days, I wear my brightest colors.

I get the greatest feeling when I'm singing. It's other-worldly. Your feet are anchored into the Earth and into this energy force that comes up through your feet and goes up the top of your head and maybe you're holding hands with the angels or the stars, I have no idea.

When I got hoarse, the manager would say, 'Drink this. Joplin used to drink this,' and I used to say, 'Joplin? Joplin's dead