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.

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.

Columbia was a wonderful label for me. Wonderful. The records I made there garnered me an audience. I won a number of polls during the years that I was at Columbia. The Downbeat Jazz Poll. Leonard Feather, who was a huge critic back in the day, different polls that he had. The Playboy poll, a number of polls. So the music was great.

I think women and children and older people are the three least-respected groups in our society.

I don't think I was a catalyst for the women's movement.

Music does a lot of things for a lot of people. It's transporting, for sure. It can take you right back, years back, to the very moment certain things happened in your life. It's uplifting, it's encouraging, it's strengthening.

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

I like writing and don't confine myself to just the words or just the music. But I don't particularly write songs with myself in mind.

We didn't have music videos. You weren't an overnight sensation. You had to work at it and learn your craft: how to take care of your voice, how to pace your concerts, all that trial and error.

I always felt rock and roll was very, very wholesome music.

Politics are not my arena. Music is.

I like Beyonce's music - some of it, not all of it.

As long as it's good music. I love all music. It's got to be constructed properly.

Prince is gone. But the music will go on.

I love all music.

Men don't like eating out of cans. And I don't like eating out of cans too much, either.

Men have always been gentlemen to me - responsible people with healthy attitudes.

I haven't had the occasion to meet Adele. She lives in England. So when I'm flying, or when she comes over here, perhaps we'll have a chance. I think she's a very fine singer, a very strong writer and performer.

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

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

Many of my friends were there at Motown. The studio was only a few blocks from where my dad's home was, where we lived.

I loved going to church. I enjoyed being a part of the choir and just doing things in and around the church. But as a young girl, I certainly enjoyed watching and listening to my dad.

I was in my dad's church, his Baptist church, and I think the first song I ever performed was 'Jesus Be a Fence Around Me.'

I wanted to design a line based on Hollywood's Golden Era. I talked with Stephen Burrows and with Willi Smith and with one or two other people, but it just seems like such a hard field to break into. I need someone like Calvin Klein's manager to get behind me!

Now, occasionally I will still have that quarter pounder because I love fast food, but you have to keep it to a minimum.

I donate heavily to the church and various churches in the Detroit community and food banks.

Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.

Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now - always.

Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.

Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me.

Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.

By respect for life we become religious in a way that is elementary, profound and alive.

One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity.

One truth stands firm. All that happens in world history rests on something spiritual. If the spiritual is strong, it creates world history. If it is weak, it suffers world history.

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.

Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.

Example is leadership.

Man has lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall. He will end by destroying the earth.

Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace.

Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment, and learn again to exercise his will - his personal responsibility in the realm of faith and morals.

The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.

Life becomes harder for us when we live for others, but it also becomes richer and happier.

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.

I no have education. I have inspiration. If I was educated, I would be a damn fool.

The good times of today, are the sad thoughts of tomorrow.

I don't believe in death, neither in flesh nor in spirit.

In this bright future you can't forget your past.

Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny.