I don't look down to an audience. I look up to them. They respond to quality.

I try to tell the story about the song with the believability that I've lived it myself and I understand what it's all about.

I think if you have a passion for what you do then there are no limitations on how long or how much you can accomplish.

More than anybody else I’d like to thank Count Basie for teaching me how to perform.

I have an awful lot to learn. My dream is to get better and better as I get older.

I've taken stuff from people, too. You know though, if you steal from one person, you're just a thief. But if you steal from everyone, that's research.

What I really search for is something that I really love hearing, something that's my own private game: If I find a song I really like, I try to do a definitive version.