My mother is very emotional as well, but my dad is more of the guts of the family. He was the main preacher, so he kind of had this little Pentecostal flair, but they are born-again.

Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.

My mother had a rule, obviously, that I couldn't go across the street by myself, but I had to find a way of doing it.

It bothered me that my mother was crying all the time. She thought God might be punishing her for something... So I just told her I was happy to be blind and I think she felt better after that.

My folks ain't graduated from high school or nothing like that, so we always had to struggle in the family - and I come from a big family.

With all my fans I got a family again.