I'm not a braggart, but when I was a little girl people used to come from all over Hollywood to hear me sing.

I am so happy that I am alive and can walk.

I talked to the record company about what I had in mind. They said they wanted something lush. I figured the best thing to do was let them hear what I had in mind.

The music was thunder and joy. Lightning bolts of happiness and praise, foot-stomping, dance-shouting, good-feeling singing from the soul.

What happens is, when I perform, I'm somewhere else. I go back in time and get in touch with who I really am. I forget my troubles, my worries.

I was a sloppy kid, wanted to be just wild.

My mother always wanted me to be a jazz singer, but I always wanted to be raunchy.