Kate Smith

As soon as I began to earn what might be called fairly large sums, I bought a car and began to explore the country around New York.

Because of my voice, speaking words which had been carefully chosen, women had used money they had set aside for other purposes to buy war bonds.

I am continually embarrassed by people who point me out as an example of what can be done without training.

I am exceedingly lucky that my voice, along with perfect pitch and perfect rhythm, was given me at birth.

I am harder on myself than anyone else could be.

I could not separate myself off stage from myself on stage, as so many actors can.

I have always examined closely the motives of any group for which I am asked to raise money.

I have been extremely lucky with reviewers and critics throughout my career.

I have never known stage-fright at any time.

I just can't read music.

I know I'm fat and I know my hair is straight, but I can sing.

I learn my songs by ear.

I must work hard to make my singing above reproach; there must be no faults which hard work would take care of.

I shall always respect the composer. If I embellish, it is his idea I am embellishing.

I vowed that whenever my family needed me, I would give up everything to go to them, no matter what. The show must go on was meaningless to me.

I was always daydreaming about singing in big productions on Broadway.

Ice cream was my undoing, and six chocolate milk shakes in a row were nothing to me at one time.

If rock-and-roll is well done, there's nothing so terribly wrong with that kind of music. But the lyrics are another story.

In nearly all ballads, the words set the mood and meaning, while the music intensifies or enhances them.

Intelligent analysis of the composer's intention and strict adherence to it automatically ensures sincerity.