“I don’t think getting in and out of a limousine has anything to do with being an icon.”

Take a little time out of your busy day to give encouragement to someone who’s lost their way.

Instead of looking at the past, I put myself ahead twenty years and try to look at what I need to do now in order to get there then.

I can be a better me than anyone can.

If we hold on together I know our dreams will never die Dreams see us through to forever Where clouds roll by For you and I.

I spend too much money on my sets and my gowns. I think the presentation is important. I don’t think people want to see the old show all the time.

I have a lust for life.

I don’t have to sit around and wait for the next movie to come along, I can go out and sing.

You can’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.

I want to go Africa. I want to go to China. There are some places I want to go not to work, but to really explore and to see for my own education.

So every time I make a new circuit, a new time around, then I change the show. You can’t change the songs; people still want to hear “Lady Sings the Blues” and they still want to hear some of the oldies.

A reporter once asked me if I ever cried. I wonder if people think I’m just as hard as a rock and have no emotions at all.

My children come first and the career comes in around that.

I am in prayer for his kids and the family.

If I have someone who believes in me, I can move mountains.

I majored in fashion design in school, and I have always wanted to design my own line of clothing, jewelry, and stuff like that; so this was just a step for me in that direction.

My father worked hard, but we were still very poor; and I didn’t want anybody arguing about money, so I became the entertainer, the one who wanted everyone to be happy. I didn’t want there to be any problems.