Growing up in Cleveland, I learned about singing from my mother, who had once sung professionally and who admired Mahalia Jackson and Aretha Franklin.

I'm not a person who particularly had heros when growing up.

I grew up with music in the house. I was told I could sing as soon as I started talking. Everybody in my family sang, always lots of records, blues and jazz and soul, R&B, you know, like Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Coltrane, that kind of thing.

Growing up in Memphis, I have always admired St. Jude's for the magnificent work they do.

I had a Stuart Davis poster growing up.

My favorites growing up were always Billy Joel, Michael Jackson... and Placido Domingo.