Aretha Franklin

My American audiences are pretty mixed. I get all sorts of people, old and young. It's nice. ”

I paid my dues; I certainly did. ”

I'm never tired of going to the studio. I enjoy recording and documenting everything and trying new things. ”

Yes, I've always been fashion conscious. ”

I've never recorded anything I didn't like. ”

I think the hardest thing is losing weight. That's the hardest thing more than anything else. ”

I used to have hamburgers coming and going, especially when I was on the road. Now, occasionally I will still have that quarter pounder because I love fast food, but you have to keep it to a minimum. I am now opting for salads and just healthier lunches. ”

I love producing, writing. I rarely write with other writers unless I have a real great respect for them. Like Burt Bacharach, or Carole Sager, or Stevie Wonder. Somebody like Smokey - like that. Otherwise, I choose to write alone. ”

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. ”

The duet with Frank Sinatra, 'What Now My Love,' is one of my favorites. ”