Having to travel so much plays havoc with your personal life.

The first thing I did when I made a little bit of money as a singer was to buy myself an amber necklace. This is often the way we put together our lives, adding the striking qualities of others into our own character.

For years, I had no time for exploratory travel.

I listen to archival and historic recordings. I love watching singers. I learned a lot from watching videos.

Certainly, jazz has become more of a niche, which is surprising, because it's our music. It's the national music of America.

Fostering creativity in children is as important as any other part of the school curriculum because it feeds the soul. A daily dose of creativity helps children imagine a better world and then create it.

At this stage in my career, I don't have to take any big risks. You want to take a calculated risk, not one that leads to people saying 'yes, but there was that one time when she made that big mistake.' It's always a shame when that happens, especially if you've gotten by for decades without anything hugely tragic.