I was reared in the church from the age of three. I've played piano since I was three. I performed at revivals and for my people around North Carolina for several years. People around town collected money to send me to school.

I would like a man now who is rich, and who can give me a boat - a sailboat. I want to own it and let him pay for it. My first love is the sea and water, not music. Music is second.

There's no excuse for the young people not knowing who the heroes and heroines are or were.

Anything human can be felt through music, which means that there is no limit to the creating that can be done with music. You can take the same phrase from any song and cut it up so many different ways - it's infinite. It's like God... you know?

Every day has its emotional difficulties. I miss my mother whether I'm singing her music or not.

I don't like rap music at all. I don't think it's music. It's just a beat and rapping.

Slavery has never been abolished from America's way of thinking.