ACT ONE I was a child prodigy, born in Washington DC in 1934. My mother's parents were from San Juan, Puerto Rico. My father was a native American. I came from a family of 24 children and was the first born. Mother sang with Marian Anderson, the first black opera singer. President [Franklin] Roosevelt's wife allowed my mother and her to sing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, because they weren't allowed to sing in the opera house. I started at the age of three. I could sing the Gregorian Chant and still know every word of it today. I used to sing Brahms' Lullaby in church and that was taught to me by my mom's best friend, The Lady, Billie Holiday. Everybody you can imagine, including Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Nat King Cole, came through my grandfather's house.

ASIA, THE EARLY YEARS I graduated from high school at the age of 14 and was scared of white people. At that time the Ku Klux Klan would have a meeting every week on the Capitol steps. So I skipped college and went to the Korean war. I was going to be a cook in the service, but never saw a pot or pan once I was there. We were in an all-black unit and would have to go out at night. Our captain said: 'They're not going to be able to see you.' Of course, he didn't return to the United States. I was shot in the head on Pork Chop Hill and was 17 when I came out of the service.