'Band of Gold' singer Freda Payne releases her 26th album

HOLLYWOOD -- In 1970, singer Freda Payne had a major hit with the song, "Band of Gold." Now, 51 years later, she is celebrating a new album.

"You know what I get? 'That was the first 45 I ever bought.' And I'll tell you somebody who told me this a while back, quite a while back, and I was very flattered," said Payne. "Quentin Tarantino."

Payne has been singing since she was a teenager. She was well into her twenties when "Band of Gold" went gold! "I just felt wonderful," she said, "I felt like, 'Gee, I'm sitting on top of the world.'"

"Band of Gold" was her first gold record. She had a second one a year later with "Bring The Boys Home."

Payne never stopping singing.

She's now out with her 26th album, "Let There Be Love."

It features a 30-piece orchestra, some duets and newly arranged jazz standards from the American Songbook.

"Jazz is in my soul," Payne said. "I can say it's in my soul and in my bones. I can do R&B. I can do pop. I don't know about the rap."

One of the songs on her new album, "Let There Be Love," is a duet with the legendary Johnny Mathis. "I was very grateful and humbled that he was in that same little booth, sitting right next to me and we're singing together and I'm, like, 'Am I dreaming?'"

"Let There Be Love" is available on CD and on all streaming services.