"When I sing for myself, I probably sing for anyone who has any kind of hurt, any kind of bad feelings, good feelings, ups and downs, highs and lows, that kind of thing."

"You can't fake this music. You might be a great singer or a great musician but, in the need, that's got nothing to do with it. It's how you connect to the songs and to the history behind them."

"My mother always wanted me to be glamorous. When I thought about that, it really fired me up, and once I lost all those pounds, I started to feel really good about myself."

"And as I started reaching deeper I realized that most of the blues of that day was done by men. Women just didn't have the nerve."

"My sister is totally my dad's daughter because she loves sports."

"The death of my father is probably the biggest thing that I ever faced. Daddy and I were best friends."

"Your ability to communicate is an important tool in your pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and customers."

"You go through life wondering what is it all about but at the end of the day it's all about family."