“I remember singing around the house to records that were playing. All kinds of music. And the great James Cleveland was often in our house, and I grew up with his sound as well.”

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.

I don’t feel one’s personal medical condition is everybody’s business. It just isn’t something you advertise, and it’s not open to discussion.

I sing to the realists, people who accept it like it is. I express problems. There are tears when it’s sad and smiles when it’s happy. It seems simple to me, but for some people, I guess feelin’ takes courage.

Soul is a constant. It’s cultural. It’s always going to be there, in different flavors and degrees.

Being the Queen is not all about singing and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well.

I’ve always felt that rock & roll was very, very wholesome.

My heart is still there in gospel music. It never left . . . I’m gonna make a gospel record and tell Jesus I cannot bear these burdens alone.

As a parent you try to maintain a certain amount of control and so you have this tug-of-war … You have to learn when to let go. And that’s not easy.

Falling out of love is like losing weight. It’s a lot easier putting it on than taking it off.

Yes, I’ve always been fashion conscious.

R&B is not a fad; it’s the truth.

The milk of kindness flows through my body, I shall follow Jesus to the Taco Bell and give thanks.

Music changes, and I’m gonna change right along with it.

If a song’s about something I’ve experienced or that could’ve happened to me it’s good. But if it’s alien to me, I couldn’t lend anything to it. Because that’s what soul is all about.

If you disrespect everybody that you run into, how in the world do you think everybody’s supposed to respect you?

The role of a leader is not to come up with all the great ideas. The role of a leader is to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.

Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes.

We all carry the seeds of greatness within us, but we need an image as a point of focus in order that they may sprout.

You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So get on your way!

Great love is born of great knowledge of the thing that is loved, and if you do not know it, you can love it little or not at all.

Great moments are born great oppurtunity.

Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.