I sing the songs that people need to hear.

It's not about battling the original artists when I record these songs, it's about paying tribute to them.

They said that Etta James is still vulgar. I said, Oh, how dare them say I'm still vulgar. I'm vulgar because I dance in the chair. What would they want me to do? Want me to just be still or something like that? I've got to do something.

When I'm performing for the people, I am me, then. I am that little girl who, when she was five years old, used to sing at church. Or I'm that 15-year-old young lady who wanted to be grown and wanted to sing and couldn't wait to be smokin' a cigarette, you know?

To me, country music is like the blues, but it's something very hip and - I don't want to say commercial - but it's very worldly and good listening.

In some ways, it's my rage that keeps me going.

I've gone through so much in my life. I should have been dead a long time ago, but I am still here, and I'm the happiest I've ever been.