It's not about battling the original artists when I record these songs, it's about paying tribute to them.

I'm not a braggart, but when I was a little girl people used to come from all over Hollywood to hear me sing.

I wanna show that gospel, country, blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll are all just really one thing. Those are the American music and that is the American culture.

I talked to the record company about what I had in mind. They said they wanted something lush. I figured the best thing to do was let them hear what I had in mind.

I sing the songs that people need to hear.

I figured I could do It's A Man's Man's Man's World, because I believe it's the truth.

They said that Etta James is still vulgar. I said, Oh, how dare them say I'm still vulgar. I'm vulgar because I dance in the chair. What would they want me to do? Want me to just be still or something like that? I've got to do something.

I don't care who's playing. Even if it's my favorite artist, I'm probably not gonna go and see him.

Bobby Womack is always very real, both with his music and as a person.

At the same time I was being given a Lifetime Achievement Grammy.

And as I started reaching deeper I realized that most of the blues of that day was done by men. Women just didn't have the nerve.

A few years ago, I thought, I'll never make it. I started to go to the doctor to help me lose weight.

The only time that I am really truly happy - when I feel at my best - is when I'm on the stage.

That's where it begins and ends for me and these songs were the ones that touched me the deepest. It was like I was laying hold of some part of me that I didn't even know was there until I let it out.

It's the same thing now. When I go onstage the young people scream and holler as much as the older generation.