I keep showing decade after decade that I am a real performer.

I've had 60 years of ups and downs, and all of the downs that I've had, I'm happy that I've had them because it's taught me to appreciate all the ups.

I don't tweet, Twitter, email, Facebook, look book, no kind of book. I have a land line phone at my home - that's the only phone I have. If my phone rang every day like everyone else around me, I would lose my mind.

I think the race situation is getting better as far as people respecting each other goes. I think the race situation with entertainment is not that much better.

All these little heifers who can't sing are called ‘divas’.

I always have to go that extra mile, and I do it and I don't mind doing it, but it isn't fair.

Always respect yourself and don't go out there disrespecting yourself.