When I'm on stage I feel at home

I know I'm no glamour girl, and it's not easy for me to get up in front of a crowd of people. It used to bother me a lot, but now I've got it figured out that God gave me this talent to use, so I just stand there and sing.

Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong.

Everybody wants to know about my style and how it came about. It's no big secret. It's the way I feel.

Listen to her voice, don't look at her.

When we were at the Apollo, Holiday was a block away. I asked her for her autograph.

I've had some wonderful love affairs and some that didn't work out. I don't want to dwell on that and I don't want to put people down, but I think all the fabulous places I've been, the wonderful things that have happened for me, the great people I've met - that ought to make a story.