I'm Not Alone, I'm Free. I No

Always Be Smarter Than The People Who Hire You.

I'm Not Alone, I'm Free. I No Longer Have To Be A Credit, I Don't Have To Be A Symbol To Anybody; I Don't Have To Be A First To Anybody.

I Want To Sing Like Aretha Franklin. Before Her I Wanted The Technical Ability Of Ella Fitzgerald.

A Little Nepotism Never Hurt Nobody, Honey. If You Got It, Use It. Press On With It. Remind Them Of It.

I Learned From Ethel Waters, Duke Ellington, Adelaide Hall, The Nicholas Brothers, The Whole Thing, The Whole Schmear. [the Cotton Club] Was A Great Place Because It Hired Us, For One Thing, At A Time When It Was Really Rough [for Black Performers].