Just give a drum roll, announce my name & I come out & sing. I have a contract that says I'm a singer. So I sing.

I'm not the type of person who likes to look backwards. I've always felt compelled to move forward and I've never been one to dwell in the past. All the people I've met, all the places I've been, and all the things that I've done have simply been part of who I am.

You can't teach it [jazz singing]. There's nobody who can teach you how to sing jazz. Either you know how to sing jazz, or you don't.

I consider myself a method singer, not a method actor. I applied method acting to singing.

I don't disrespect the audience. I only sing very well-written, intelligent songs.

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

No-one will ever sound as good as Judy Garland as far as I am concerned.