Well Lord, I'm still on the case. I'm still doing what Dr. King and Pops want me to do. I'm still on that freedom highway, and I'm going to walk on it until Dr. King's dream is realized.

I started writing letters home to my mother, saying that I wanted to come home, grandma won't let me sing.

I would get in fights a lot. My voice was so heavy, kids would say you sound like a boy, so I would start beating them up.

One day, when I was about eight years old, some kids pushed me on stage at school during a talent show because they knew I could sing.

I'm so blessed that I can still be here to bring the music and have new generations of fans. My Pops would be so proud.

I just had a wonderful life, and I couldn't ask for anything else.

I'm singing these songs to inspire you, to keep you going, to lift you up and give you a reason to get up in the morning