Sometimes you have to let everything go - purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything - whatever is bringing you down - get rid of it. Because you will find that when you are free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.

I grew up in the south, poor - on rock, dirt roads.

Greatest hits is easy because one has nothing to do - except that we both, Roger and I, felt that new songs should be there because I've been away for awhile.

I need that on stage. I need a burst of life. That's entertainment for me.

I kind of felt I left a good message and memory with the people in terms of my work, and I always felt with a good record, I could always come back.

I don't have a problem with being black in a white country or being with my people.

The choice that I made was from my best music, for the songs that I knew that the public liked. Then, when I recorded my new songs I found that my old material had not faded, it was still current, the music was good and the songs were great. I sat in my house and listened, got the chills, and I thought, how great is that? It hasn't dated, it hasn't gone anywhere, and it's great.