“Parents have to really talk to their children before they leave home.”

Better friends than lovers. Sugar can’t you see? You need you and I really need me.

Be your own artist, and always be confident in what you’re doing. If you’re not going to be confident, you might as well not be doing it.

When God loves you, what can be better than that?

The man who gets me is getting one hell of a woman.

And I’ve been hurt hurt bad. I might be just twenty-six, but I’m an old woman in disguise twenty-six goin’on sixty-five.

I’m a big woman. I need big hair.

I sing to the realists; people who accept it like it is.

My faith always has been and always will be important to me.

Now, occasionally I will still have that quarter pounder because I love fast food, but you have to keep it to a minimum.

Women have broken through the glass ceiling, and they’re now more and more in the power seats.

Politics are not my arena. Music is.

Music does a lot of things for a lot of people. It’s transporting, for sure. It can take you right back, years back, to the very moment certain things happened in your life. It’s uplifting, it’s encouraging, it’s strengthening.

People really don’t have to give you anything, so appreciate what people give you. And just don’t let that go to your head, whatever it is they give you.

I’m the lady next door when I’m not on stage.

I love to sing. It’s just a natural thing for me.

Let’s start with the church. As you know, it’s my background, it’s a natural setting for me and it’s definitely my roots.

The children right now, the young children, everybody should go to a martial arts school. Why? Because as soon as they go to a martial arts school, they learn discipline.

Like any parent, I just want the best for my kids, whatever they decide to do. They will choose what path they want to follow, and we will always be there to encourage them.

I’m a normal human being. I don’t have any desire to change my body as a result of having had two kids. That’s a good thing, isn’t it?

Your little child is the only true democrat.

I was a wayward child, very passionate and very determined. If I made up my mind to do something, there was no stopping me.

Kids can have great passion and great ability but if you have the facilities for your particular sport that can give you the inspiration to become a sportsman.

I have never once regretted missing a business opportunity so that I could be with my children and grandchildren.

I have enough music coming out of my kids’ bedrooms when I’m at home.