I grew up in southeastern Oklahoma on a working cattle ranch, and it was always very romantic to me: The West, the cowboy, the Western way of life.
I totally love to act. I don’t care if it’s a musical, a comedy. I just like to work and interact with other people.
To me, being popular means I’ve got more friends. You’ve got to watch who your friends are, if you want to get close to them, but I’ve got a lot of acquaintances. And then, you’ve got to be real careful who your friends are, because you never know why they’re your friend.
I think it’s a wonderful time for a woman.
I think it’s the way I talk. I think they thought I was too country. And I’m not ashamed of that by any means.
I love to wear boots – and shoes, I don’t like at all.
I have talked to Debbie Hammond quite a bit, Jim Hammond’s wife, his widow. I’ve seen their kids. And last time we played Dallas, a lot of them came over. It’s hard for them to come see the show. It’s still hard.
Make sure you’re always giving, way more than you’re taking.
Watch what you say and do because little eyes are watching you.
When onstage, I always try to take my audience through as many emotions as I possibly can. I want them to go from laughter to tears, be shocked and surprised and walk out the door with a renewed sense of themselves – and maybe a smile.
So, we come out to Los Angeles. And we met with every network. We met with show runners, directors, writers, everything. And what we had an idea for, they didn’t like. And what they had an idea for, we didn’t like. So, we went home.
I was singing a lot of waltzes. And I was with Jerry Kennedy, my producer, and he was playing me some songs, and he said, hey, I want to play you this song that I’m going to get Jackie Ward to record.
I had lots of breaks. I guess the one that got my foot in the door was singing the National Anthem at the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City in ’74.
At this time when I turn 50, because so there’s many of my friends and family who didn’t get to see 50-years-old, and so, I’m celebrating for them too.
And the two planes that were taking the band and crew that we had taken out to San Diego were flying out after the show. And so I was never supposed to be on that plane.
And so we were asleep there in San Diego. And our pilot called us. And his brother was on one of the other planes. And when he was leaving the airport, he saw in his rear view mirror that there was an explosion.
A good song has to have a great melody, and the lyrics have to touch my heart. Now, if it’s just a little toe-tapper, got to make me feel good somehow or another, or when I sing it I can’t make you feel good.
The upside to anger? Getting it out of your system. You got to express your anger. Then you have room for more positive things. If I hold something in a long time, and then I speak it, it’s amazing how the light shines so much brighter.
If I’m not the one thing you can’t stand to lose, If I’m not that arrow to the heart of you, If you don’t get drunk on my kiss, If you think you can do better than this then I guess we’re done. Let’s not drag this on, Consider me gone...
How was I to know that I’d be ok? I thought I’d lose it all when you walked away. How was I to know that I’d be this strong? I had what it takes all along. How was I to know?
To thrive in life you need three bones. A wishbone. A backbone. And a funny bone.