I don’t think I ever really knew the right words to ‘Hava Nagilah,’ which isn’t great for a Jewish singer.
I’m not great at multi-tasking, so when I do one thing… I like to do it 100%.
I was once an extra in a Bruce Springsteen video where they did a live performance video at Tramps. I forget the name of the song.
I started singing weddings and bar mitzvahs at 15, lying about my age. It was a great discipline.
We are never doing anyone any favors by withholding our gifts from the world. It’s scary to be fierce, but you can’t compromise that for fear of losing those around you.
I made a good living for a teenager. And I had to learn all different kinds of music – jazz, swing, Motown, pop – and that inspired what kind of music I started to write.
I used to take 40 minutes to warm up before going on stage. If you want to spend time with your child as well as having a career, you have to get up there even if your head’s a mess. It’s made me more relaxed, and I’m having some of my best shows.
My younger sister had kids before I did, and managed to earn a master’s degree while raising them as a single parent. Now she’s a brilliant second-grade teacher. I’m in awe of her ability to juggle everything and still be a great mother.
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