. >> yeah, and then, you know, like, when i had the opportunity to get the rhythm and blues foundation award, which they gave to berry gordy at the same time, this was the biggest company in my city, which signed me in 1972, but it wasn't really motown then. but my voice wasn't the sound of young america. so while they all knew me, they all watched me starve. so i've had the opportunity to tell several people nice things recently, and to see them. you should have seen when i walked out on the stage at the kennedy center honors, because you don't know who's going to be there, even though you've been there for two days by that time. you don't know who's going to perform. so when i walked out, there were several mouths that were... "the bettye lavette that i know... the bettye lavette that's my age?" >> hinojosa: "she's up there singing at the kennedy center honors, and i didn't know about this?" >> the o'jays told me, they said that... they were my very best friends in show business, and i haven't seen them in maybe 30 years, until recently. and they said, "we called everybody we know trying t