Kate Smith Quotes

Most of the people who act and sing do so for their own pleasure and that of their friends and family.

It's up to the audience. It always has been.

I could see myself in a white nurse's uniform, working unnoticed for many years and at last dying, unknown, unmarried and unsung.

During the presidential primaries of 1940, I received a request from the Democratic National Committee to sing God Bless America before the speeches.

In nearly all ballads, the words set the mood and meaning, while the music intensifies or enhances them.

I vowed that whenever my family needed me, I would give up everything to go to them, no matter what. The show must go on was meaningless to me.

And when all is said and done, there is no greater success in the world than just being happy.

I shall always respect the composer. If I embellish, it is his idea I am embellishing.

I learn my songs by ear.

In 29 years, I had recorded over 2,200 songs. I was amazed.

I have never known stage-fright at any time.

There's no second chance on stage, and I was trained to make the most of my first chance.

I know I'm fat and I know my hair is straight, but I can sing.

I just can't read music.

I was always daydreaming about singing in big productions on Broadway.

I have always examined closely the motives of any group for which I am asked to raise money.

I am exceedingly lucky that my voice, along with perfect pitch and perfect rhythm, was given me at birth.

I am continually embarrassed by people who point me out as an example of what can be done without training.

It became obvious in 1957 that I was endangering my health by carrying so much weight.

Because of my voice, speaking words which had been carefully chosen, women had used money they had set aside for other purposes to buy war bonds.

Intelligent analysis of the composer's intention and strict adherence to it automatically ensures sincerity.

Public and employer opinion often defeat society's best interests with a prejudice against middle-aged women.

Every small town has its dramatic group, its barber-shop quartet, every home has music in one form or another.

An entertainer should in his public performance keep himself out of any controversy, political or otherwise.

After several months of probation work, standing on my feet some ten to twelve hours a day, I decided that as a nurse I was a pretty good entertainer.

Ice cream was my undoing, and six chocolate milk shakes in a row were nothing to me at one time.

This nation loves singing and loves acting.

If rock-and-roll is well done, there's nothing so terribly wrong with that kind of music. But the lyrics are another story.

My singing is part of me, like my stoutness, or my light hair, or my poor eyesight.

As soon as I began to earn what might be called fairly large sums, I bought a car and began to explore the country around New York.

I have been extremely lucky with reviewers and critics throughout my career.

I could not separate myself off stage from myself on stage, as so many actors can.

Since I have been singing for so many years, I don't always need to approach a song quite so laboriously and meticulously.

I must work hard to make my singing above reproach; there must be no faults which hard work would take care of.

It is important that the audience should understand every syllable of every word, for only then can they grasp the meaning of the song.

I sometimes get that wonderful sympathy between me and the audience, telling me I've reached their hearts. And when I do, the thrill is mine.

Middle-aged women have greater stability, they are more loyal, and their capacity for steady work is greater than that of younger women.

I have personally believed in every product I have ever advertised.

I am harder on myself than anyone else could be.

Many people submit to excessive appetites without realizing that they do not need to eat so much food.