After years of making wrong decisions in my life, in 1977 I found out that it was all right to be square, simple, and sober.

You can't very well live in a castle while your kin is on the poor side of town and barely have enough food. Some want you to get to the top and rely on you making it for them, too.

The morning after my high-school graduation found me up early job hunting. The dream of college I put on the back burner.

Detroit is full of talent.

I went from elementary school to proper training, operatic training, and I went on to the Motown University and learned a lot of things from some wonderful people.

After years of making wrong decisions in my life, in 1977 I found out that it was all right to be square, simple, and sober.

If you stick around long enough, people start referring to you as a survivor. Suddenly I found myself on the receiving end of several prestigious awards.