What was the first concert you ever saw?
I snuck into an Aerosmith concert in Madison, Wis., when I was underage. I think I was about 15.
What CDs are in your changer right now?
We are preparing to play in Paris, so I've been listening to a lot of the artists whose songs I am going to sing there--Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Horn and Bessie Smith.
How many total albums do you own (CDs, vinyl, cassettes, 8-tracks)?
I don't think I've ever taken count. I would say it's somewhere between 700 and 1,000. Most of them are in boxes, because we recently moved. They're mostly CDs.
Do you download music, and if so, legally or illegally?
I've done it, but I don't like it. If I hear something I like, I just go out and buy it in a store. I really like to have the whole package--lyrics, liner notes, the artwork, all of it. Recently, though, I downloaded three songs from iTunes because I am going to perform them, and I couldn't find them anywhere else.
What was the first album you owned?
I think it was probably Pink Floyd's The Wall.
What song would you like to have played at your funeral?
"Here's to Life" by Shirley Horn. I think that would be appropriate.
Musically speaking, what do you love that your friends don't know about? What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. It's something I often put on when I am cleaning the house.
What band or artist changed your life, and how?
I'd have to say Ella. It's just the way her whole essence comes through in her vocals. I listened to her a lot as child with my dad.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
I have two. I love Joni Mitchell's Blue, but I would also have to say Ella Fitzgerald's The Best of the Song Books: The Collection.
