When I do an album I try to find a producer that's excited about something that they want me to sing, and I check with the record company to find out what they think they can sell - which is their No. 1 priority.

I also met, early on Ella Fitzgerald. Her songbooks are some of the most amazing bodies of work.

I'm really pretty much a regular person who just got very lucky. I got involved early on in my life with a lot of wonderful people who helped me and guided me. I found out what I really liked to do and that was sing. And I had a lot of help to accomplish most of my goals.

In other words, the celebrity gets out of hand, and if youre not careful, you will forget what you are about - and that is you are about making music that people want to hear.

I don't feel old, except in the morning once in a while, when I can't turn over properly and say, "What's that? When did that happen?" Our brain doesn't accept that. We're geared to last.

Thank God for vinyl! It's wonderful to be involved in something that captures your life from almost the beginning to the end. I'm absolutely blessed.

Let's love, press your lips to mine. Let's kiss, for that thrill divine.