Patti LaBelle

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30 Jan 2024

Patti LaBelle

Patricia Louise Holt, born on May 24, 1944, known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is celebrated as an American R&B singer and actress, earning the title of the "Godmother of Soul."

LaBelle embarked on her musical journey in the early 1960s as the lead singer and frontwoman of the vocal group Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. The group later rebranded as Labelle in the 1970s, achieving immense success with their iconic number-one hit "Lady Marmalade." Following the group's disbandment in 1976, LaBelle pursued a thriving solo career, marked by her critically acclaimed debut album featuring the seminal track "You Are My Friend."

The peak of LaBelle's solo stardom arrived in 1984 with the success of hit singles like "If Only You Knew," "Love, Need and Want You" (later sampled for 2002's "Dilemma"), "New Attitude," and "Stir It Up." In 1986, she attained further acclaim with the release of the number-one album "Winner in You" and its duet single "On My Own," featuring Michael McDonald.
Throughout her career, LaBelle continued to release chart-topping hits, including the standard "If You Asked Me To" in 1989, later covered by Celine Dion. She garnered Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for her 1991 album "Burnin'" and for the live album "Live! One Night Only."

LaBelle's success extended beyond music, with notable roles in film and television, including the Oscar-nominated film "A Soldier's Story," and TV shows like "A Different World" and "American Horror Story: Freak Show." She starred in her own TV sitcom "Out All Night" in 1992.

In 2002, LaBelle ventured into hosting with her lifestyle TV show "Living It Up with Patti LaBelle" on TV One. At the age of 70, she participated in the dance competition "Dancing with the Stars" in 2015. LaBelle's entrepreneurial spirit also thrived with the launch of her own brand of bedding, cookbooks, and food products, notably her Patti's Sweet Potato Pie, which became a viral sensation in 2015.

Throughout her illustrious seven-decade career, LaBelle has sold over 50 million records worldwide. She has been honored with inductions into prestigious halls of fame including the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame, and the Apollo Theater Hall of Fame. LaBelle's vocal prowess, characterized by her powerful soprano range, emotive delivery, and expressive style, has cemented her status as one of the 100 Greatest Singers according to Rolling Stone magazine.

Patti LaBelle, originally Patricia Louise Holte, was born in the Eastwick section of Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the second youngest child among the three children of Henry (1919–1989) and Bertha (Robinson; 1916–1978) Holte. LaBelle had four siblings: Thomas Hogan Jr. (1930–2013), Vivian Hogan (1932–1975), Barbara (1942–1982), and Jacqueline "Jackie" (1945–1989). Her father worked as a railroad worker and club performer, while her mother was employed as a domestic worker. Despite cherishing her childhood, LaBelle later revealed in her memoirs, "Don't Block the Blessings," that her parents' marriage was abusive. When LaBelle was twelve, shortly after her parents' divorce, she was sexually molested by a family friend.

At the age of ten, LaBelle joined the local church choir at the Beulah Baptist Church and delivered her first solo performance two years later. She was exposed to secular music genres like R&B and jazz during her upbringing.

LaBelle's journey into music took a significant turn when, at sixteen, she won a talent competition at John Bartram High School. This success led to the formation of her first singing group, the Ordettes, in 1960, with schoolmates Jean Brown, Yvonne Hogen, and Johnnie Dawson. As the frontwoman of the Ordettes, LaBelle garnered local attention until some members left due to marriage or familial obligations. In 1962, the group reformed with new members Cindy Birdsong, Sarah Dash, and Nona Hendryx, and they auditioned for record label owner Harold Robinson. Initially hesitant, Robinson eventually signed them and rebranded them as Patti LaBelle and The Blue Belles.

Their rendition of "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" propelled them to prominence, leading to a name change to "Patti LaBelle and The Blue Belles" after a legal dispute. In 1963, their hit single "Down the Aisle" marked their breakthrough, followed by successful releases like "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "Danny Boy." However, after label changes and Birdsong's departure, the group faced challenges and eventually rebranded as "Labelle" under new management in 1970.

Under Vicki Wickham's guidance, Labelle underwent a transformation, embracing funk, rock, and psychedelic soul influences. They opened for The Who during their U.S. tour in 1971, showcasing their revamped style and sound.

After securing a solo contract with Epic Records in 1977, Patti LaBelle teamed up with David Rubinson, the producer of Chameleon, to craft her self-titled debut album, released that same year. The album featured disco hits like "Joy to Have Your Love" and "Dan Swit Me," along with the gospel ballad "You Are My Friend," which became her first career-defining single despite its modest debut on the R&B chart. Over the next few years, LaBelle released three more albums on Epic—Tasty, It's Alright with Me, and Released—each featuring successful tracks like "Eyes in the Back of My Head," "Little Girls," "Music is My Way of Life," "Come What May," "Release (The Tension)," and "I Don't Go Shopping" (co-written by Peter Allen).

Following her tenure at Epic, LaBelle signed with Philadelphia International Records, where she recorded a notable rendition of "Over the Rainbow" for the album The Spirit's in It. In 1982, she collaborated with Grover Washington on the duet "The Best Is Yet to Come," earning acclaim and her first Grammy Award nomination. The same year, she received praise for her role in the Broadway musical Your Arms Too Short to Box with God.

In 1983, LaBelle released her breakthrough album I'm in Love Again, featuring her first top ten R&B singles, including "Love, Need and Want You" and "If Only You Knew." The latter song marked her first number-one single as a solo artist in early 1984. Later that year, she achieved another hit with Bobby Womack on the song "Love Has Finally Come at Last" and made her film debut as Big Mary in A Soldier's Story, for which she co-wrote two original songs for the soundtrack.

In 1984, Patti LaBelle recorded the songs "New Attitude" and "Stir It Up" for the soundtrack of the Eddie Murphy film, Beverly Hills Cop. "New Attitude" was released as a single later that year and became LaBelle's first crossover solo hit, reaching number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a signature song for her. "Stir It Up" also found success on pop radio and in dance clubs.

In 1985, LaBelle performed on the TV special Motown Returns to Apollo and participated in the all-star benefit concert Live Aid. Her appearances on these shows elevated her to pop star status and led to her having her own television special later that year. Additionally, a video of a performance from her 1985 tour was released on VHS. During this time, LaBelle fulfilled her contractual obligations to Philadelphia International and signed with MCA Records.

In 1986, LaBelle joined Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick for the HBO special Sisters in the Name of Love. That same year, she released her bestselling solo album Winner in You, which topped the pop charts. The album featured the international number-one hit "On My Own" and the ballad "Oh People". Although Winner in You marked the pinnacle of her solo success, LaBelle continued to garner acclaim with the 1989 release of Be Yourself, featuring the Prince-written and produced "Yo Mister" and the ballad "If You Asked Me To", which achieved even greater success as a remake by Celine Dion. In August of the same year, she performed as the Acid Queen for The Who's 20th-anniversary concert celebrating their rock-opera Tommy.

Later in 1989, LaBelle began a successful stint in a recurring role on A Different World, which led to her own sitcom titled Out All Night, though it lasted only one season.
In 1991, she recorded the hit duet "Superwoman" with Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick. LaBelle released her solo album Burnin' the same year, featuring collaborations with Knight, Prince, Michael Bolton, Big Daddy Kane, Luther Vandross, and her former Labelle bandmates Hendryx and Dash. The album went gold, earning LaBelle her first Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

Her subsequent albums, including Gems (1994) and Flame (1997), also achieved gold status. In 1995, LaBelle performed at the Super Bowl XXIX halftime show and released her bestselling memoirs, Don't Block the Blessings. She also released the first of five bestselling cookbooks in 1997.

In 1998, LaBelle won her second Grammy for the live album Live! One Night Only. She received the Triumphant Spirit Award for Career Achievement at the 1998 Essence Awards.
In 2000, LaBelle released her final MCA album, When a Woman Loves, before signing with Def Soul Classics for the 2004 album Timeless Journey. During this period, she headlined VH1 Divas and received the Legend Award at the World Music Awards.

In 2006, LaBelle released her first gospel album, The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle, which reached number one on Billboard's gospel chart. She also released the book Patti's Pearls. In 2007, she returned to Def Jam and released her second holiday album, Miss Patti's Christmas. In 2008, LaBelle reunited briefly with Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash as Labelle for the group's first new album in more than 30 years, Back to Now.