tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. >> there is a saying that dr. king had that said there is always the right time to do the right thing. i try to live my life every day by doing the right thing. we know that we are only halfway to completely eliminating hunger and we have work to do. walmart committed $2 billion to fighting hunger in the u.s. as we work together, we can stamp hunger out. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. tavis: natalie cole was first introduced to latin music by her legendary father, nat king cole. she has completed her first

album in spanish. let's listen to a cut from the cd. ♪ ♪ spanish]in tavis: you sound so good. your daddy does too. >> we found footage of him

singing that in spannish. very cool fluent one of us is in spanish. tavis: let me ask you to set aside your modesty where your father is concerned. voice --you hear his what do you think of your father now? unparalleled.is he came at a time there was no one like him. about don't just talk his singing. they loved his spirit, his demeanor. he was a really great man.

he was a cool person. people could get that from him. tavis: i have never seen a picture where your daddy didn't look cool. his style. >> justin timberlake has nothing on that hat. dad was sporting that a while ago. just his was not voice, but his style. how did this idea come to be? >> this is a ten-year development. after the success of unforgettable, we started thinking abotu what else we

could do that would be magical. havinger, we started talks. timing is everything. it's taken that long to bring it to fruition. iw as talking to david foster, and i said, i woudl really like to do a spanish record. 18 months later he became the ceo of universal. i didn't think he was going to sign me, but he did. tavis: how difficult was it to do? >> i had so much fun. i was blessed for a gift with

acting because i don't speak spanish flently. my producer heard me sing, and he said, you are fine, so he coached me with a little phrasing. maybe it has to do with my latino kidney from my donor family from el salvador. 9 tavis: you look great and sound great. how are you feeling? >> i feel terrific. it is amiracle to go from one you of your life and never think you'll be the same

agian. i'm doing really good. tavis: it was more than a brush with death. >> i didn't even know. 9 tavis: you were knocking on death's door. how does that encourage you to push these kinds of projects higher on your bucket list? >> probably because it is like, god, are you going to give me a little more time? that's the impetus. what are we waiting for? i'm older and more seasoned. i still think of myself as an artist who needs to explore.

i wanted to broaden my horizon, so i twas a no brainer to do a spanish album. tavis: why was this a challenge your dad accepted? was persuaded by his cuban manager. he ended up being the first american black or otherwise to go overseas to do this kind of music. forwas over there in '58 that first spanish album. he did two more records. he was there for 20 years.

it's amazing. my sisters and i are going through pictures of photos my mom had donated. there are some amazing photos. havanah, then adoration for this man is really something to behold. alwaysone thing i've loved about music in spanish is even if you don't know what they're saying, it's sexy. it sounds good. tell me more about what it feels like to sing in spanish.

>> the first time i started hearing these tracks, i looked at my musical director and said, i think i like myself singing better in spanish than english. my voice takes on this -- it sounds like natalie cole, but then it doesn't. the biggest compliment i have received is i don't sound like an american speaking spanish. i love rolling these words off my tongue. some of it is challenging. once you get it it just feels

good. tavis compare and contrast between singing with your father in english and spanish. >> i am better. i am better than he is actually. the problem is, you should hear my producer. he was a huge fan of my father's. he said his spanish is not as good as yours. tavis: tell me more about the challenge or joy of producing singing in english and spanish on this project. beautiful,

unforgettable. i get much more pleasure out of it than pain. unforgettable, that still does. we have nice video footage. everyone in that picture is gone. it's tough. but look what they lleft me, and my mom would be so thrilled if she could stay here long enough to see this. 9 tavis: my heart went out to you. i was so broken when i heard about your mom's passing. i ceebrated the fact she had a

long, lovely life. life, an rich, full d looked good doing it. gothumor got funny as she older. even as she was in the process of leaving, she had some funny things to say. i was traveling when this happened. they told me about it in istanbul, and she asked for me. untiluldn't get dressed she found i was coming. tavis: how are you making decisions, not just about

projects, but about where you tour, when you tour? >> this project has put everyone out of their comfort zone. tavis: does your band like it? >> they love it. one of my piano players worked for arturo sandoval. arturo is beyond, but we are really feelign our way,, and thank goodness for latin universal that they have jumped in as far as what we need to be doing down to what's the single

going to be, so they are giving us a lot of direction. i'm clueless. tavis: he's a great guy. to the latin department helping you navigate this journey, what are you learning about that audience's appreciation for the music. haven't had a chance to perform for a mostly latino audience. we have performed in the us. it's an american audience. tavis: how is the american audience responding.

[gasps].response is they all know that one, so that breaks them in, and i do a nother song, and i think they like it. tavis: are you excited, scared, intimidated for the opportunity to do this for a spanish audience? >> all of the above. i'm out of my comfort zone. i was like, what have i done? something just felt right. he had some of his friends listen. one of the things we did right

is we did not go with music no body was familiar with. these are traditional, your parents' parents' stuff. radio is telling us they haven't played this music in so long. latin music is starting to get so americanized. i thought that was interesting. tavis: that's the last thing anybody needs is more us. >> it's not necessarily very good. a nice compliment was that this is what we need to hear again. it's not unlike what we did for

unforgettable. tavis: there is this notion that at this age of your life, on the one hand you admitted you are out of your comfort zone. feels sor, you said it good. we don't want to be pushed out of our comfort zones, but you have found joy. >> i was talking to other artists. i went to a convention of radio people. idol wasr of american there, and i was telling him about it, and he said, i would

be scared to death. i said, you are an artist. you can explore. michael bolton sang a couple things in spanish. it depends on where you want to go. i think it's boring to do the same thing over and over again and call yourself an artist. tavis: sometimes it doesn't work because your fans won't let you do it. >> i started off crazy. then i went to good morning heartache. i never wanted to be that, and i think my fans have gotten

okay with that. tavis: i was just listening to this yesterday. hearyou are in your car or it from way back when -- >> it's amazing. i remember when i first heard the song, and we jumped up in fun ir and how much song.have recording that what a great thing to have that one song. everyone thought it was aretha at first. that is really my song. familytell me how your

is? >> my sisters are wonderful. my son is great. my whole family is doing reallly great. uncle freddy isn't going to stop until he falls down on stage. we love what we do. don't seesense is i you stopping. you don't see yourself stopping? >> no, as long as this stays the way it has been, i'm good. tavis: are you amazed your chops have held up. >> i am more impressed by my

singing spanish. my voice still sounds young and vibrant. i was listening to some of my peers. that's know if because they don't sing enough. tavis: that top register is tough to hit. did you like this enough to do another? >> you can bet on it. it's going to be interesting to do another with some original latin music written for me. what are we getting ourselves into. it feels right. i'm excited. as soon as i start doing the

music on stage, i feel transported. imaginet's hard to certain artists ever going wrong with david foster. >> david is picky. he can basically envision what's going to happen before he makes that commitment. we think alike. he's picky. he's detailed. he knows what he likes. he doesn't like to fail. went: pbs jsuust through its pledge period, and i don't care how many times

i saw it on, i went back to watch him in portofino. did you see it? >>i can only imagine. i have worked with andreo half a dozen times. davidiviine, and i think is a great buffer. i think andreo can be difficult, but david is the buffer. i can kind of mess with andrea, and we've gotten comfortable enough we have that rapport. okayless david for being with me having that beautiful

repertoire. tavis: the new project is called "natalie en espagnol." it is the first but not the last. her daddy is on here. it's a great project, and congratulations. as always, keep the faith. -- >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org. tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time for a conversation with galecki. j >> there is a saying that dr. king had that said there is

always the right time to do the right thing. i try to live my life every day by doing the right thing. we know that we are only halfway to completely eliminating hunger and we have work to do. walmart committed $2 billion to fighting hunger in the u.s. as we work together, we can stamp hunger out. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> be more. >> be more. pbs.

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