I used to sing at funeral homes for families that didn't have a vocalist. I didn't get paid. I needed to sing.

You leave home to seek your fortune and, when you get it, you go home and share it with your family.

Completeness? Happiness? These words don't come close to describing my emotions. There truly is nothing I can say to capture what motherhood means to me, particularly given my medical history.

I don't let people use me. That's why I like a small number of people in my life. The more people in my life, the more complex it becomes, so I just try to keep it at a minimum.

Time has nothing to do with the gifts that the gods give you; it's what you do.

I'm picking and choosing in terms of the stress factor. If it's not fun, I'm not going to do it.

I dont think being black has held me back at all. Being black makes you strong.

If I could be doing anything, I'd be laying on the floor in my birthday suit eating junk food and watching something dumb on TV.

If you have your own agenda and your own style and you don't easily conform to what the masses are doing, you're looked upon as being difficult. Whereas, I think of it as just being an individual.

Long tresses down to the floor can be beautiful, but learn to love what you have.

Historically, in my generation, all of my heroes and heroines have had issues and problems. We all do.

Take me to a land where love never ends.

If you worry about what might be and wonder what might have been you will ignore what is.

Voter fraud does just barely exist, while racism, according to the Supreme Court, is a thing of the past.

Anyone who says the Confederate Flag is a symbol of hate should be required to go to sensitivity training classes.

In my experience, the best directors I've worked with hired people for a purpose. They hire them with trust. There's not many notes. There's confidence and support.

If man is not the image of God, then he is a disease of the dust.

In life you get one take, and it's perfect. It's strange, afterwards you might think I shouldn't have reacted that way, but that's the way you reacted. That's your take; that's all you get.

Music before all else, and for that choose the irregular, which is vaguer and melts better into the air.

I am a person who goes out without a purse. I put things in my coat pockets, so I don't have any accessories.

Life damages us, every one. We can't escape that damage.