I made a promise to myself to be kinder to other people.

I'm not alone, I'm free. I no longer have to be a credit, I don't have to be a symbol to anybody; I don't have to be a first to anybody.

My identity is very clear to me now, I am a black woman.

I've seen so much. And I've heard so many great performers. There are performers now that couldn't work back in the days when I came along.

I was lucky, as many of my generation was, in having a man like Dr. King in our lives. He came at a time that we needed to take a long look at each other and see how similar we were.

Count Basie isn't just a man, or even just a band. He's a way of life.

Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can stand aside now; everybody's got to stand up and be counted.