I hold 'Mi Tierra,' my first Spanish-language album, very close to me because that was all done in my native tongue and won me my first Grammy.

You don't have to give up who you are to be successful just because you're different.

Later in life, the memories I have of my mother are of constant work balanced with caring for my ailing father.

My family was musical on both sides. My father’s family had a famous flautist and a classical pianist. My mother won a contest to be Shirley Temple’s double — she was the diva of the family. At 8, I learned how to play guitar. I used to play songs from the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s in the kitchen for my grandmother.

I voted, always vote. It's very important to me. My kids, I take them with me since they were little, so they realize it's a responsibility.

Sometimes my mother had difficulty communicating with me about certain topics.

My guitar and singing was my way of crying.