My mentor was Clara Ward of the famous Ward gospel singers of Philadelphia. And my dad was my coach. He coached me. And just my natural love for music is what drove me.
— Aretha Franklin
I didn't really want to sing at first, but my dad insisted that I do.
Most of what I wear, I select myself. You can't please everybody, and as long as I'm comfortable with what I wear, I think that's what's important.
I think it would be a far greater world if people were kinder and more respectful to each other.
I sing, and the musicians kind of fit things around me.
John Legend is, in my opinion, classic. He is one of the best finds that has come along in a long time.
Beyonce is very outspoken on feminist issues. So I think that's good. That could be brought to the forefront more.
'Rocking With Leroy' used to come on when I would come in from school. It was a very, very big R&B broadcast of the day when I was a young girl. And I would come in and put my books down, lie down on the floor, and listen to 'Rocking With Leroy.'
Sometimes, what you're looking for is already there.
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.
As long as it's good music. I love all music. It's got to be constructed properly.
I think you have a lot of really good artists today. You have your Beyonce, Usher, Nicki Minaj and the like. But our generation, the artists were stronger. You're talking about myself, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Gladys Knight, The Temptations, The Four Tops.
I wouldn't be without Google, and I love Facebook.
For many years, I've wanted to do one, and I've always mentioned it to the chieftains, and they would say things like, 'Oh well. Christmas albums don't sell,' and things like that. But that's not the point. Christmas albums are important. The music is important. The season is important.
Yeah, I want a job in Barack's Cabinet. How about a job, Mr. Obama? Please? Please?
I don't do crazy things - I just don't.
When I first started, I wore Ceil Chapman gowns. I've been wondering for years what happened to the Ceil Chapman line of clothing.
You have singers that are trained, and then you have natural singers: people that, in my opinion, were just born to sing. And hopefully, I am one of them.
I've met my share of guys who have insulted and assaulted my intelligence with their stories and games. I say hello and goodbye!
People are not as nice as they used to be. There used to be a time when we conversed. You don't get a lot of real responses now. They used to be more polite and well-mannered people, generally. It's minimal now.
The term 'Sock it to me!' was a big, big thing in our neighborhood - all the kids were saying it.
Art Tatum was a genius.
I just loved working with George Benson, whom I very much enjoy musically and as a person.
Beyonce is a very hard-working woman. Astrologically, for whatever it's worth, she's a Virgo - like Michael Jackson, a hard worker.
Certainly, gospel was my background - is my background.
I like being married. It's an institution that I like.
I certainly enjoy Usher, Beyonce, Chris Brown, and there is Fantasia; these people will be around a while. They've got it. They've got the 'it' factor.
I've probably cried with a lot of songs - in teenage crushes, adult crushes.
Sam Cooke had a huge influence on me. He left the gospel field at one point and went into the secular, and he had this huge hit, 'You Send Me.' Irma, my older sister, and I heard 'You Send Me' on the radio while we were driving through the South one night. We had to stop the car. We got out and danced around the car out on the highway.
Who hasn't had a weight issue? If not the body, certainly the big head!
Christmases past, my sister Carolyn and I - we'd been waiting for Santa all night. Nothing! Where is this man?
What is auto-tune? I don't even know what auto-tune is.
I really don't have any shelf music.
I still have perfect diction!
You could call my piano my trademark, or one of my trademarks.
I'm really an old-fashioned girl - I like to be romanced.
In terms of helping people understand and know each other a little better, music is universal - universal and transporting.
I can say that my big records and my success have been due to the backing which Atlantic have put behind me.
I picked up some wonderful things just listening to other pianists that I appreciate, and that would be Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Vladimir Horowitz, and Art Tatum. Those are the pianists I really enjoy and admire.
Well, 20 Grammys is not bad.
We've come a long way, but there is still a lot of discrimination.
My upbringing was in the church. We had to attend regularly. And, of course, the church provided a training ground for me, so to speak, as a young vocalist and certainly gave me all of the spiritual values that I needed as a young lady.
There is no way in the world anyone else could do my wedding other than myself, along with whomever I select to do various things.
The duet with Frank Sinatra, 'What Now My Love,' is one of my favorites.
It really is an honor if I can be inspirational to a younger singer or person. It means I've done my job.
Men have always been gentlemen to me - responsible people with healthy attitudes.
I like 'Bootylicious,' 'Survivor' - my little granddaughter loves 'Survivor.'
Men don't like eating out of cans. And I don't like eating out of cans too much, either.
I love the Ritz.
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!
