I saw the Supremes when they were still singing in little black skirts and white blouses.

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.

Those who do not weep, do not see.

The spirit finds a way to be born. Instinct seeks for ways to survive.

The true hero trains himself in silence.

Poor men's reasons are not heard.

You can't imagine parlor ballads drifting out of high-rise multi-towered buildings. That kind of music existed in a more timeless state of life.

Yes, I don't read books for entertainment.

Self-reliance conquers any difficulty.

I just refuse to date actors. I've done that, and I don't want to do that anymore. It's just the stress of traveling and being away from each other so much.

If we like what we do, if we always do our best, then we are really enjoying life. We are having fun, we don't get bored, we don't have frustrations.

I have never felt at any point in my life, good or bad, any ill will ever from the man or woman on the street.