I felt trapped and fabricated in the fifties living up to other people`s expectations.

When Bob came through Cincinnati, he wanted a girl singer to be on his show. There was a local contest, and my sister and I entered, but Bob said, Gee, I wouldn`t break up the team.

I`m the only instrument that`s got the words, so I`ve got to be able to get that across.

I`ll keep working as long as I live because singing has taken on the feeling of joy that I had when I started, when my only responsibility was to sing well.

So you see, you can`t do everything alone.

I loved downers, almost any kind. Loved the colors of them. Loved them yellow... I did. I would just have a bouquet in my hands at night.

I remember Mitch Miller saying every week, This rock and roll stuff will never last. But one doesn`t like to bring that up to Mitch.

I just would like to keep singing. As soon as I`m not singing well, I hope that I know it, so that I can get off the stage and leave what I have done. I hope I`ll know, and if I don`t, I hope somebody tells me.

[1978 comment on Bing Crosby] The best way to get along with Bing was to forget first of all that he was Bing Crosby. It was not always easy.

[on Bing Crosby] Bing had a brilliant mind and an original wit. That casual delivery combined with an unexpectedly wide vocabulary. It was a great device for comedy -- and also an effective way of communicating with an audience or with a person.

"In the final analysis, it`s true that fame is unimportant. No matter how great a man is, the size of his funeral usually depends on the weather."

"I think acting is the most thankless profession in the world."