back in a moment, stay with us. >> jessye norman is here and we can be happy about that.he aimed opera star's written a book called stand up straight and sing. her memoirs share a story growing up in georgia performing in the world's greatest opera houses. i'm happy to have you back at the table. >> thank you. >> rose: tell me about that stand up and sing. >> that's what my mother used to say when i was seven or eight years old in brownies or something and getting ready to perform. she would stand up straight. >> rose: did she have the most influence on you. >> so many people that have influences, still have influence on me, especially my parents but my grandparents my aunts uncles, the next door neighborhood. the ladies across the street. >> rose: when did you know you had a voice that recommended itself. >> well, since i've been singing, since i've been speaking, i always say i have no recollection of never being singing. never being a singer. i have no recollection of that. so i was always willing to do it and wanting to do it. and it helps to say i was a bit of a ham.

jessye norman is here, and we can be happy about that. she makes us all sing.he famed opera singer has written a book on "stand up straight and sing." her memoirs of growing up in augusta, georgia, performing in the world's greatest opera houses. i am pleased to have this friend of mine back at my table. >> happy to be here. >> tell me about the title. >> that is what my mother used to say when i was six or seven years old, getting ready to perform. she would say, stand up straight. >> did she have the most influence on you? >> so many people that have had influence and still have influence on me -- my parents, my grandparents, my aunts, my uncles, my next-door neighbor, the lady across the street, my godmother. >> when did you know you had a voice that recommended itself? >> i had been singing and speaking. i have no recollection of never being a singer. i have no recollection of that. i was always wanting to do it. it helps that i am a bit of a ham. i rather enjoy it. >> and still do. it did not start in the church? >> it started at home, and then in the chur

and sobraino jessye norman looks at a life in opera. >> to be choreographed to walk around the obelisk, i still remember thinking, okay, you have studied these texts. you know these worlds as well as you know your own name so just get on with it, just do it. >> rose: we have those stories and more on what happened and what might happen. funding for charlie rose was provided by the following: