“R&B is not a fad; it’s the truth.”

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.

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?

I’ve been around long enough for people to know who I am and what my contributions are. They know me as more than just an artist. I think they know me as a woman as well.

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

We all require and want respect, man or woman, black or white. It’s our basic human right.

I know people I feel are extremely talented, but I don’t know that I’ve ever heard any geniuses.

I saw the Supremes when they were still singing in little black skirts and white blouses.

I love producing, writing. I rarely write with other writers unless I have a real great respect for them. Like Burt Bacharach, or Carole Sager, or Stevie Wonder. Somebody like Smokey – like that. Otherwise, I choose to write alone.

Every day that is born into the world comes like a burst of music and rings the whole day through, and you make of it a dance, a dirge, or a life march, as you will.

If music be the food of love play on give me excess of it.

We were electric together, you and me; we turned hurting each other into a goddamned symphony.

Music to me is a voice, my voice, it’s my way of expressing what colours can I bring in, what emotions, what feel. What ideas can I bring out from these instruments that would make this song come alive.

You can’t make a record if you ain’t got nothin’ to say.

And music the best friend of your mind.

But if you think of all the people who don’t like me, just think of all the millions who’ve never heard of me!

I listened to a lot of what my grandparents listened to: George Jones, Johnny Cash – a lot of old country singers. Patsy Cline.