Time is important to me because I want to sing long enough to leave a message. I'm used to singing in churches where nobody would dare stop me until the Lord arrives!

When you are through with the blues, you've got nothing to rest on.

Baby, black promoters oppressed me before white promoters ever got hold of me. Don't talk skin to me.

Money just draws flies.

I don't worry too much about the script, I just ad lib, like Pearl Bailey.

Do you know most of the Jewish songs have the same trend of sadness as Negro spirituals?

Blues are the songs of despair, but gospel songs are the songs of hope.