Being a singer is a natural gift. It means I'm using to the highest degree possible the gift that God gave me to use. I'm happy with that.

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

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

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

I'm a big woman. I need big hair.

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

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.

Don't say Aretha is making a comeback, because I've never been away!

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

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.

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

Books must be treated with respect, we feel that in our bones, because words have power. Bring enough words together they can bend space and time.

It was a well-known fact that keeping track of time was not Parry Pretty's forte...If time were Parry's pet, it would have died tied to a tree somewhere out back long ago.

You cannot pour more water into a full cup without causing a spillage.

Back on the block they probably call Big Al "Fat Albert" but here in the Nam we don't insult our friends.

These are nonviolent people who have lost their freedom simply because they expressed their ideas….In truth, they are heroes of our time.

Actually, I know for a fact there are some young female artists who don't even sing on their own records and who don't sing live. And that is pathetic.

Do the least harm and the most good.

There is only one religion in the world-hard work

Actors and magicians are both performers and they represent things that are not necessarily who they are.

... For such as truly love the world, a thousand years would fade like the dream of one night.