And fortunately, I haven't had any problem with my voice. I've been able to sing at a level of consistency that the people are expecting.

But I am very grateful for my success, and with success, of course, comes a whole lot of celebrity.

My favorite singer to this day is Nat King Cole. I've tried to emulate his phrasing. It is so absolutely beautiful to listen to his lovely voice.

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.

When you do interviews, you have to talk about yourself - and I like to find out about other people. I am so familiar with everything that I do. Ive said it over and over again. I think it is boring.

When you're doing bad things, you just don't know whether you can conquer them or not. I found out how strong I could be when I was motivated, and I'm kind of proud of that.

I'm just one of the lucky people. I have no other reason for my longevity.