tonight, our conversation with soul legend bettye lavette. her latest cd is called "interpretations." she recorded her first top-10 hit at the age of 16, but did not release her first album until 20 years later. after nearly 50 years in the business, she is finally receiving the critical acclaim she has learned. i'm glad to have joined us. soul legend bettye lavette is here right now. >> all i know is his name is james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i'm james. >> yes. >> to everyone making a difference, you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, nationwide insurance is happy to help tavis improve of financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] tavis: honored to have bettye lavette on the program. the soul music legend recorded her first top-10 single when she wa

bettye lavette is back. and she can call the shots these days. sweet, sweeter that it happened the way it happened, or not? >> in some ways, it is more satisfying than sweet. i am like anybody else's grandmother. i have no desire to put on at 6- inch heels and thrash around. t not only goes on the road every three, four, five years. i'm like any other old woman. this is not what i prefer to be doing it in my spare time, but this is the first time i have ever had the opportunity to make any money and i have to show up. i'm glad i am healthy and strong and able to do it, but there are things. i have to give up most of my time to rest so i can be strong enough to do this. it is a lot of things. it is certainly something i wish had happened when i was younger, but i have no desire to be younger. i have no desire to be younger. i have done all that. tavis: now bettye lavette is doing philosophy, and i love it. she does the heck out of this cd. it is not often on this show i go over board is saying how much i think you're absolutely all to add somethin

tonight, our conversation with soul legend bettye lavette. her latest cd is