[on Bebop Years] All I Did Was

Just Don't Give Up Trying To Do What You Really Want To Do.

I Know I'm No Glamour Girl, And It's Not Easy For Me To Get Up In Front Of A Crowd Of People. It Used To Bother Me A Lot, But Now I've Got It Figured Out That God Gave Me This Talent To Use, So I Just Stand There And Sing.

I Owe Marilyn Monroe A Real Debt … She Personally Called The Owner Of The Mocambo, And Told Him She Wanted Me Booked Immediately, And If He Would Do It, She Would Take A Front Table Every Night. She Told Him – And It Was True, Due To Marilyn’s Superstar Status – That The Press Would Go Wild. The Owner Said Yes, And Marilyn Was There, Front Table, Every Night. The Press Went Overboard. After That, I Never Had To Play A Small Jazz Club Again. She Was An Unusual Woman – A Little Ahead Of Her Times. And She Didn’t Know It.

When We Were At The Apollo, Holiday Was A Block Away. I Asked Her For Her Autograph.

I've Had Some Wonderful Love Affairs And Some That Didn't Work Out. I Don't Want To Dwell On That And I Don't Want To Put People Down, But I Think All The Fabulous Places I've Been, The Wonderful Things That Have Happened For Me, The Great People I've Met - That Ought To Make A Story.