My life has often been described as 'from rags to riches' but in fact, the Ross's were never raggedy.

I'm not really a songwriter - I'm an interpreter. So in a sense I am an actress first and foremost. I act out the songs, and I lead with my heart.

You can't just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You've got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.

You know, you do need mentors, but in the end, you really just need to believe in yourself.

I'm crazy about Diane Von Furstenberg. It's a relationship that's very different; I don't see Diane a lot. So when I saw the article in New York magazine she looked so beautiful and it was talking about her work, too. She set up the interview and it was happening. That's different than someone writing a book about you who you've never met.

I'm from a singing family, but they're not professional singers, only gospel - my grandfather was a minister. I started to sing the music that was out then because my mother used to play it all the time. It was the end of the '50s, the beginning of the '60s. There was Frankie Lyman and the Teenagers, Etta James... We used to sit outside on the stoop and sing. We even used to put our radios and record players outside.

I spend too much money on my sets and my gowns. I think the presentation is important. I don't think people want to see the old show all the time.