When my parents went off to Knoxville to work, I lived with my father's mother. She was strict - the kind who starched and ironed dresses. I had to sit more than I played. Oh, I was miserable. I liked being out with the animals. I'd come in the house with my hair pulled out, sash off the dress, dirty as heck. I was always getting spanked.

I want to tell people how to live spiritually. After you've bought all your houses and your clothes, you want something bigger.

The older you get, the more you realize it's not what happens, but how you deal with it.

First of all, I'm happy that I'm healthy.

In the USA there is no female equivalent to god.

I never said Well, I don't have this and I don't have that. I said, I don't have this yet, but I'm going to get it.

After I moved with my mother to St. Louis, my older sister and I went to see Ike Turner, who was the hottest then. His music charged me. I was never attracted to him, but I wanted to sing with his band.