Patti LaBelle gets jazzy with new album

Music legend Patti LaBelle began her solo career in 1977. She won two Grammy Awards and skyrocketed up the charts with hits like "If You Asked Me To" and "New Attitude." Now, the queen of rock 'n' soul is stepping out of the genre that made her an icon to take on jazz.

LaBelle joined "CBS This Morning" to discuss why she decided to make the album, "Bel Hommage," and how she cooks every day — even on the road.

LaBelle's ex-husband and former manager was behind the initial idea to do a jazz project. But the singer was reluctant at first.

"Because I'd never done it before and, you know, you don't want to do something that you might mess up and then people say 'why did she do that?' So, I fought it for a while. Took two years to say yes," LaBelle said. 

LaBelle has another love besides music — cooking. 

The singer says she has time to cook every day, even when she's staying in a hotel.

"Put those pots and pans in any room, cook, and then the hotel sends security up and they say 'Ms. LaBelle, we smell food coming from your room,' I say, 'I'm cooking, you want some?'"  

When LaBelle's young granddaughter called her on a plane and asked what she was doing, LaBelle said that she was cooking. "She likes to hear that I'm cooking, so I lied!"

To hear what LaBelle has to say about her late friend Nina Simone, watch the above video.