I wrote poetry, which got me into lyrics. Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Elton John pulled me into pop. I started singing with a band - just for fun - when I was 17. And pretty soon, I was thinking I could sing pop in English as well as Spanish.

I'm a writer and this is what I love to do.

I have a very open line of communication with both my children.

If the 70's freed our inhibitions, what good did it do?

There are so many difficult things we're living through in the world today, so many horrible events, but we cannot let them stop us. No matter what happens, I feel you must move forward with optimism and not get totally sideswiped.

My mom was definitely very strict with me.

Music is almost mystical to me. It really has an incredibly powerful force.