When I started to sing, my mother would have me engaged to perform at the Women's Christian Temperance Union national or annual meetings. I would hate doing this because I wanted to play baseball or go off skiing.

After Bruno Walter, my career went in leaps and bounds. I have had 35 years of a career that is just incredible, and a wonderful time all over the world.

I thought I should go to New York because it was the place to go to study. I went and tried to get an application from the Juilliard School but they wouldn't even give me one because I didn't have my high school graduation.

It makes one a better person to have had hardships and to have overcome hardships and not to blame anybody else for your mistakes.

I was not in the church, but we claim, like so many people, 'Yeah, I grew up in the church.' Well yeah, I grew up in the church and went to church, but I knew nothing about the Lord. I had no idea what it meant about walking in faith.

I feel am a blessed girl, as every time one of my shows ends, there's another one waiting to start. I am God's favourite child.

God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us.

It's my firm conviction that when Uncle Sam calls, by God we go, and we do the best that we can.