I'm walking every day and just staying kind of fit, and try not to have too many bad habits. Keep it minimal.

Once you discover that you can, then you must.

Before I get out of bed, I am saying thank you. I know how important it is to be thankful.

I would still be singing, because it's part of my heart and my soul, and it lifts me up. Find something you would do for free.

I don't know where we got the notion that God wants us to suffer. Every living thing tends toward the good or we would have been gone a long time ago.

You have to make a decided effort to not get seduced by the Blues.

It's all background experience and listening and exposure. That's why it's so important for people today and during any time to expose your children to lots of different kinds of things.

To sing the ballad with a knowingness about what you are talking about. If it's somebody else's lyric, and the message is a little unusual for you, it requires that you learn that new message.

I sang do-wop on the street corner before it was called do-wop.

I did a concert at five years old in the garden of one of the church members, and we raised some money to buy a new piano in our little church.

I know more polkas than Frankie Yankovic. I grew up next door to the Polka Tavern in Milwaukee. I can sing some polkas. And proud of that.

There's no choice that doesn't mean a loss.

There is a unique Math behind the very notion of life, I seek it.

Religion without humanity is a poor human stuff.

Kind of the sad thing is that - it's still true - a lot of jazz people just listen to jazz, and a lot of hip-hop people just listen to hip-hop, and there's not a lot of crossover, unfortunately.

Ratings don't last. Good journalism does.

Integrity's a neutral value. Hyenas have integrity, too. They're pure hyena.

I feel very lucky. I have a husband and baby that I adore. I have a career I really love. When I sit back and reflect, it's, like, wow! I am very grateful.

No one was ever injured by the truth; but he who persists in self-deception and ignorance is injured.

Before now poetry has taken notice Of wars, and what are wars but politics Transformed from chronic to acute and bloody?

I think the worst thing you can do is take an arrogant approach and not give people enough content to wrap their heads around.