You should always know when you're shifting gears in life. You should leave your era - it should never leave you.

The ultimate of being successful is the luxury of giving yourself the time to do what you want to do.

Art is the only thing you cannot punch a button for. You must do it the old-fashioned way. Stay up and really burn the midnight oil. There are no compromises.

I am here and you will know that I am the best and will hear me. The color of my skin or the kink of my hair or the spread of my mouth has nothing to do with what you are listening to.

Accomplishments have no color.

Who I am is the best I can be.

I have never given all of myself, even vocally, to anyone. I was taught to sing on your interest, not your capital.

Be black, shine, aim high.

If you're not feeling good about you, what you're wearing outside doesn't mean a thing.

For a long time the only time I felt beautiful-in the sense of being complete as a woman, as a human being, and even female-was when I was singing.

I prefer to leave standing up, like a well-mannered guest at a party.

Music is not take it or leave it

We were thinkers not talkers.We were problems not solutions.We were heroes of the dark, villains with a spark.

I want to be able to look my daughter's teacher in the eye and say, 'Your pension will be there.' I need to know that her pension will match up with a promise we can keep.

If I don't get paid I'm going to take a whole lot of Marshall amps home with me on the plane.

The courage to be is the most difficult thing for any human being.

My mother told me...if you're going to get anywhere, you're going to have to do it yourself, because no one is going to do it for you.

The understanding soul prays; the praying soul gets understanding.

Justice too long delayed is justice denied.

If I ever hear a founder talk about oh this is how I have a balanced life so on and so forth - they're not committed to winning.

I was kind of just too lazy to take my money out of the bank until I saw how Citi Bank responded to Occupy Wall Street.