I have to pinch myself sometimes. It's unbelievable, but it's not. Because I know that this would not be happening if it hadn't been for Dr. Martin Luther King.

My voice is my gift. And Pops had me using it in the right way. I had many offers to sing pop, to sing rhythm and blues. Pops said "Mavis, this record company want to give you a million dollars." I said, "No daddy, I want to sing with the family." And I did. I never wanted to branch out by myself. But I've had to now. It's my mission. I've been left here to do it. And I'm grateful.

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.

My uncle was 16, in junior high, and he heard me singing and snatched me off the stage. I thought he was happy and was going to pat me on the head and say I was good. But he took me home and told my grandmother this youngin' was at school singing the blues.

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

My purpose: to lift your spirit and to motivate you.

I'm old enough to be Obama's grandmom. But I still like seeing good-looking things. Nothing wrong with that.