tour, but we got her right here,
right now.
How awesome was that ceremony
for you?
>> It was surreal.
I was born and raised in
Hollywood, and so walking on
Hollywood boulevard for me was
my neighborhood, you know.
And I never imagined that those
stars that I would read all the
names of walking down to go get
my new school shoes, that I
would ever be on that street.
And I really wished my parents
were alive.
But I think they were with me
anyway.
>> You posted this beautiful
tribute for your mom on mother's
day.
Give us a little bit of her back
story.
It's incredible.
>> My mom was born in America
but raised in Greece.
When she was 4 years old, she
went back to her village and her
father died and left a widow and
four children.
And the family in America said I
don't know what a woman who
doesn't work is going to do in
America.
Might as well stay in the
they did, but the war broke out
and my mom had to escape with
just the clothes on her back.
She didn't go back to visit her
village until 46 years later
when I took her.
The village was on the border of
Albania and Greece.
She had to escape from
Albania --
>> What does your mom think of
all of your success before she
passed?
>> She loved it so much.
That was one of the greatest
things that I think being able
to share all of that with both
my parents was an incredible
thing.
>> And put up this picture.
This is real friends here.
Look at this star-studded
picture right here.
>> Springsteen, Elton John.
>> Where is this dinner and how
do we get in?
>> I think it was maybe the
first dinner that Elton did for
his AIDS foundation and it used
to be held at a restaurant
called maple drive.
That was the night that Tom won
for "Philadelphia."
>> Do you ever look at your life
sometimes with all of these
incredible people that you're
meeting -- I might have gone
mute at that dinner.
>> I completely feel blessed.
I hope that I can give back
through the music particularly.
I think in song writing, that
has allowed me to sort of write
about the things that I
experienced in a way but also
just the goratitude for the
blessing in your life.
>> It seems very personal, very
deep, very also giving in a lot
of ways, right, this
encouragement, this motivation.
We want to walk through some of
these lyrics --
>> First of all did you see
Gayle king?
>> That blew me away.
She's a big music fan.
>> We're going to play a little
song.
First one up we got big city,
small town girl, you sing, mom
made my prom dress, I felt like
a princess.
>> Do you have that photo?
>> Yes, put this up.
>> My mom made almost all of my
clothes and it was funny because
I would say, can I just go buy
she goes, I can make it.
And she could, because she had
an accent, so she was Greek.
There was my prom dress.
It was lycra and polyester and
then a little feather boa.
>> You sing we got the fire and
it still feels the same.
>> Any long-term relationship,
if you're lucky enough to fall
in love, it's a responsibility
for both people in the
relationship to keep that spark
going and keep that flame going.
Over the years, over time,
you're going to have ups and
downs.
It's not going to be all
fabulous every second of the
day.
To me it's sort of like that
awareness if you've got that, it
always happens.
>> My favorite part of that,
been through it all but can't
put out this flame.
>> That's right, my friend.
>> Pow-pow.
This last one, throw me a
party -- we got a little bit if
you want to take a look.
♪ So when I'm gone throw me a
party ♪
♪ you should dance as if I was
there ♪
♪ don't be sad or
brokenhearted ♪
♪ just lift your voices up in
the air ♪
>> I've been open about it, I
had breast cancer a few years
ago and when I got the diagnosis
but before you know that your
prognosis is going to be good,
you're just really scared.
And so I had a conversation with
my husband and I said, listen,
if something happens and I --
you know, go before you, which I
hope is really, really far in
the future, but just be sad for
a long time, I definitely demand
sadness, but please throw me a
party.
I wrote the song and we did this
video and when I posted it, I
really thought that it was
something that was a deep, dark
secret that I have, but you
realize it's not uncommon that
people think about how they want
to be remembered when they're
not here anymore.
And how they want to go out.
And I was blown away by the
people that wrote in and said
the things that they have
actually told their children or
that they've done for other
people and it was -- it made me
feel really good.
>> You bring so much joy.
>> Indeed.
>> More acting in the future?
>> Yeah.
And I've got my tour coming up
with Christian bush in June.
So I'm touring.
He founded the band sugarland.
I'm doing a couple festivals.
Stagecoach was a blast.
>> Never been more creative.
Look at you go.
>> And that's a great message to
send people is, do the things
you love to do even if they're
in your own communities and in
your own home, even.
Do the things you love to do.
It gives you so much joy.
>> Does Rita not smell
she smells so good.
>> You just want to eat it up.
>> Rita's album is available
