Sarah Vaughan

There’s a category for me. I like to be referred to as a good singer of good songs in good taste.

There are notes between notes, you know.

My dream is to do whatever I want without any interference from the record company.

What was the competition? Well, I remember this Puerto Rican who came out in a short skirt and a gun.

Judy Garland was the singer I most wanted to sound like then, not to copy, but to get some of her soul and purity. A wonderful young voice.

When I sing, trouble can sit right on my shoulder and I don’t even notice.

I dig chicks that have their own careers that have nothing to do with music. Chicks in the music business try to impress you with it.I like models.

I’d probably say I’m very strong. If somebody says something horrible, I’m like, ‘Okay, whatever.

Does anyone remember laughter?

I don’t know what would have happened to me if I hadn’t been able to hear.

A lot of kids join the army to get a college education. That’s why they do it, and they get sent into these horrible situations.

To me the biggest irony of this lifetime that I’m living is that for someone who thrives in the public eye in the creative ways that I do, I actually don’t enjoy being in the public eye.

To rock isn’t necessarily to cavort.

[On how she handles people who disagree with her] I’ve learned the art of ignoring people. When people give you some piece of direction you don’t like, you just nod and ignore it. Just don’t do it! Most people want to be heard and acknowledged, anyway. Just do what you want to do.

Most of the time, people will just pass me by, or if they do realize, they’ll say something like, “My girlfriend said that was you, but I didn’t believe her.”

I’m a weirdo. I don’t leave the house unless I have to.

If you really want something, you’ve gotta just do it and not wait for other people to hand it to you.

Well, once we finish something, I can’t really listen to it because all I hear are problems.

Acting is really about showing up that day and telling the writers what you feel like saying.

When it comes down to it, I just like taking my pants down.

I’ve deliberately tried to calm myself down because eventually I want to be a good role model to my kids.