Patti LaBelle

Patti LaBelle Headshot

Singer • Musician • Actress • Entrepreneur

Birth Date: May 24, 1944

Age: 79 years old

Birth Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

An R&B diva for over four decades, Patti LaBelle's multi-octave voice, which could soar from a funky roar to an ear-piercing soprano within the same song, was the anchor behind a string of chart-topping hits. LaBelle began her career as a teenager with the Philadelphia-based girl group the Ordettes, which later became a minor success as the Blue Belles. They traded pop orchestration for a funk-rock hybrid as Labelle, scoring a No. 1 hit in 1974 with the brazen "Lady Marmalade." After the group's demise in 1978, LaBelle struggled to keep her solo career afloat until scoring a string of hits in the early 1980s, most notably "New Attitude" and "Stir It Up" for the "Beverly Hills Cop" soundtrack (1984). She continued to generate chart hits in the 1990s while enjoying her status as a show-stopping live performer at a variety of events, where, for better or worse, she often outshone her fellow performers. LaBelle also enjoyed a modest acting career on television and stage and in films, but music remained her most consistent showcase. Though her recorded output slowed in the 2000s, LaBelle remained a force of nature in concert, where her voice continued to amaze and inspire with its full range of soul.

Born Patricia Louise Holte in Philadelphia, PA on May 24, 1944, she was one of four daughters by railroad worker and singer Henry Holte, or "Holt," and Bertha Holte, a domestic. Her childhood was marred by marital discord between her parents and her sexual abuse at the age of seven, both of which caused her to become shy and withdrawn. LaBelle found solace in music, developing not only a taste for jazz and R&B at an early age but a remarkable singing voice that she first put to use in the local Baptist church. She discovered pop and doo-wop in her teen years, which inspired her to form her own vocal group, the Ordettes, in 1958. The quartet, which included Sundray Tucker, later of the Three Degrees and Stevie Wonder's Third Generation, lost half of its lineup the following year. Labelle recruited singers Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash from another local group, the Del-Capris. Tucker would leave the act in 1961 due to school troubles, prompting Labelle to bring aboard another friend, Cindy Birdsong, to complete the lineup.

With the help of manager Bernard Montague, the Ordettes landed an audition with Newtown Records chief Harold Robinson. Though initially unimpressed with the group, LaBelle's voice convinced him to sign them. Billed as the Blue Belles, the group recorded a version of "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman," a well-traveled number previously waxed by the Silhouettes, among others. Unbeknownst to them, Robinson had also commissioned a version from The Starlets, a Chicago-based girl group. When The Starlets' single dropped in 1962, reaching No. 13 on the R&B charts, the label credited the song to the Blue Belles, prompting a lawsuit by The Starlets' management. The snafu had a chilling effect on both groups: The Starlets called it quits a year after the release, while the Blue Belles were forced to stay out of the studio until the furor died down. To support themselves, the act made regular appearances at New York's famed Apollo Theater, where they soon became audience favorites.

A second round of controversy surfaced in 1963 with a lawsuit filed against Robinson by a record executive who alleged that another previously established group had laid claim to the "Blue Belles" name prior to the emergence of Labelle's group. Robinson quickly countered by changing Patricia Holte to Patti La Belle and her group to Patti La Belle (later LaBelle) and Her Blue Belles. The group left Newtown in 1964, due perhaps to the concurrent rounds of bad press generated by their association with the label, and signed with Cameo-Parkway Records. There, the Blue Belles scored a Top 40 single with "Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)," which provided the earliest showcase for LaBelle's future trademark, a piercing whistle register vocal.

The Blue Belles left Cameo-Parkway for Atlantic Records in 1965, where they were expected to finally blossom under the stewardship of label president Ahmet Ertegun. To the surprise of many, the group failed to produce any hits beyond a 1966 cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." The following year, Cindy Birdsong, who had been serving as a temporary replacement for Florence Ballard in The Supremes, left the Blue Belles to join the Motown act on a fulltime basis. However, both groups soon found their girl group sound at odds with the rising popularity of funkier female vocalists like Aretha Franklin. While The Supremes managed to keep a foothold on the charts until the end of the decade, the Blue Belles were reduced to working the chitlin circuit of black clubs in the South and Midwest until 1970, when they were dropped from the Atlantic roster. Shortly thereafter, longtime manager Bernard Montague would follow suit to devote his attention to rising soul acts like the Delfonics.

On the advice of one of their admirers, British blue-eyed soul diva Dusty Springfield, the Blue Belles signed with her manager, Vicki Wickham, who also produced the popular U.K. variety series "Ready Steady Go!" (ITV, 1963-66). She suggested a series of radical changes for the group, including a name change to the simpler, more direct Labelle and a sound that equally embraced R&B and rock and roll. Despite Patti LaBelle's protestations, the group tested out their new sound in London before returning to the United States in 1971. They soon signed with Track Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., and landed a prized opening slot for The Who. The formidable rock group's manager, Kit Lambert, later produced their eponymous debut album (1971), which immediately set them apart from their soul and funk peers with full-bodied R&B takes on the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" and Carole King's "You've Got a Friend." They were soon hired by producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff to back folk singer Laura Nyro on her 1971 album Gonna Take a Miracle and subsequent tours.

LaBelle's own recording career endured some growing pains in the early 1970s. Their stage act began to take on a futuristic look inspired in part by the glam fashions of David Bowie and Marc Bolan. Their song choices also grew bolder, including covers of The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" and a take on Thunderclap Newman's "Something in the Air" that segued into Gil Scott-Heron's fiery "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." Despite these eye-catching moments, the group failed to sell many records. But an opening slot on a 1974 tour with the Rolling Stones and a label switch to Epic improved their fortunes.

By 1974, the group teamed with veteran New Orleans producer Allen Toussaint to record Nightbirds, which featured their provocative single "Lady Marmalade," a song they introduced at their history-making appearance at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. The song hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100, and established them as a vital link in the funk and disco movement of the period. Unfortunately, Labelle was unable to reproduce the success of Nightbirds with subsequent releases. Hendryx suffered a nervous breakdown on stage during a 1976 tour, prompting Patti LaBelle to urge her bandmates to bring the group to an end in order to preserve their friendships and health. Labelle called it quits in 1977, after which all three members launched their solo careers.

Patti LaBelle's solo career followed a pattern similar to that of her tenure in Labelle. She received critical praise for her self-titled solo debut in 1977, but none of the albums three singles, including its best-known song, "You Are My Friend," broke into the Hot 100. After three subsequent flops between 1978 and 1980, she moved to the Philadelphia International label, which failed to improve her fortunes. LaBelle found greater success as a live act, where her vocal prowess continued to astonish audiences. She also enjoyed a popular turn as an actress in the Broadway revival of "Your Arm's Too Short to Box with God" opposite soul legend Al Green, though her performance was dogged by accusations of showboating, a criticism she would endure throughout her career.

Her recording career received a boost with a 1983 Grammy nomination for the Top 20 single "The Best is Yet to Come." A year later, she returned to the top of the R&B charts with 1984's "If You Only Knew," the same year she made a strong film debut in "A Soldier's Story." LaBelle's turn as blues singer Big Mary led to an offer from director Steven Spielberg to play Shug Avery in his 1985 film version of "The Color Purple." She refused the part based on sexual content, but later regretted her decision after seeing Margaret Avery win an Oscar for her turn in the role. But LaBelle quickly bounced back with the singles "New Attitude" and "Stir It Up," which helped to make the "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984) soundtrack a bestseller. "New Attitude" shot to No. 17 on the singles chart, and served as her re-introduction to a pop audience that largely knew her only as the lead voice on "Lady Marmalade."
A batch of critical bad press over perceived grandstanding - when she would hit the highest of notes, leaving her singing partners in the dust - on both "Motown Returns to the Apollo" (NBC, 1985) and at the Live Aid concert in 1985 were quickly overshadowed by the success of her eighth solo album, The Winner in You. Its polished lead single, "On My Own," which featured former Doobie Brothers member Michael McDonald more than keeping up with his duet partner, gave Labelle her first No. 1 single since "Marmalade," and preceded a string of well-received solo efforts in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including 1991's Burnin', which won a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

LaBelle soon devoted her attention to her acting career, which was focused primarily on television series like "A Different Word" (NBC, 1987-1993). She took top billing for her own series, "Out All Night" (NBC, 1992), but the series, co-produced by Quincy Jones, failed to last a full season. After performing the halftime show at the 1993 Super Bowl, LaBelle returned to music, scoring gold albums with 1994's Gems and 1997's Flame, as well as a second Grammy for her 1998 live album One Night Only!. Following a much-publicized divorce from her husband and manager, Armstead Edwards, she stayed away from the spotlight until 2004, when she released the Top 20 album When A Woman Loves for her new label, Def Soul Classics. However, she fell out of favor with the label in 2006 following a public dispute with label chief Antonio "L.A." Reid, and moved to Bungalo for The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle, which topped the gospel charts in 2006.

Two years later, LaBelle reunited with Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx for Back to Now (2008), the first new Labelle record in over four decades. It broke the Top 50 on the Billboard albums chart and featured a take on Cole Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets" that was originally recorded in 1971. She released another solo album, Miss Patti's Christmas, in 2008. For much of the early new millennium, Labelle divided her time between music and a variety of side projects, including a lifestyle show, "Livin' It Up with Patti LaBelle" (TV-One, 2003-06), numerous cookbooks, and fashion accessories. In 2010, she joined the cast of the award-winning Broadway musical "Fela!" and remained with the show until the end of its run in 2011. That same year, she earned headlines for her Lifetime Achievement Award from the BET Awards, as well as an appearance at a 9/11 tribute, where she stepped away from her microphone during a performance of "Two Steps Away" yet continued to be heard by the crowd, which included President Barack Obama. These achievements were somewhat dampened by press reports of a scuffle between LaBelle's bodyguards and a West Point cadet at a Houston airport. Later that same year, a New York woman filed a lawsuit against LaBelle for reportedly hurling water and insults at her and her child over a verbal altercation in an apartment lobby.

By Paul Gaita

Credits

Byron Allen Presents theGrio Awards

Music Performer
Show
2023

How Great Thou Art, A Sacred Celebration

Music Performer
Special
2023

Sherri

Guest
Talk
2022

The Jennifer Hudson Show

Guest
Talk
2022

Soul of a Nation Presents: Sound of Freedom -- A Juneteenth Celebration

Music Performer
Show
2022

Patti LaBelle: Lady Marmalade (Offiicial PhilllySound)

Music Performer
Show
2022

A New Orleans NoelStream

Actor
Loretta Brown
Movie
2022

Patti LaBelle's Holiday Party

Music Performer
Show
2021

The National Christmas Tree Lighting

Music Performer
Show
2021

That's My JamStream

Guest
Game Show
2021

A Grammy Salute to the Sounds of Change

Music Performer
Show
2021

United in Song: Celebrating the Resilience of America

Music Performer
Show
2020

New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen

Music Performer
Show
2020

One Night Only: The Best of Broadway

Music Performer
Special
2020

The Drew Barrymore ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2020

A Capitol Fourth

Music Performer
Show
2020

Questlove's Potluck

Guest
Show
2020

Bottomless Brunch at Colman's

Guest
Show
2020

Stellar Awards: Music of Hope

Music Performer
Show
2020

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: All in the Family and Good Times

Music Performer
Show
2019

Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Guest
Show
2019

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Access Daily

Guest
Show
2019

Tamron Hall

Guest
Talk
2019

National Memorial Day Concert

Music Performer
Show
2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
Show
2019

Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul

Music Performer
Special
2019

Star Legends

Music Performer
Show
2019

A Family Christmas Gift

Actor
Dora
Movie
2019

2018: In Memoriam

Guest
Show
2018

Today 3rd Hour

Guest
Show
2018

Busy Tonight

Guest
Talk
2018

The NeighborhoodStream

Guest Star
Marilyn
Series
2018

Iconic Women

Music Performer
Show
2018

Phenomenal Women

Music Performer
Show
2018

Star Performers

Music Performer
Show
2018

Christmas EverlastingStream

Actor
Mrs. Swinson
Movie
2018

2017 Stellar Awards Tribute To The Holidays

Music Performer
Show
2017

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Music Performer
Show
2017

DailyMailTV

Guest
Show
2017

STEVE on Watch

Guest
Talk
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
Talk
2017

Soundtracks: Songs That Defined HistoryStream

Self
Series
2017

StarStream

Guest Star
Christine Brown
Series
2016

Patti LaBelle's Place

Host
Show
2016

Patti LaBelle's Place

Self
Show
2016

Nashville Insider

Guest
Reality
2016

Harry

Guest
Talk
2016

Harry

Music Performer
Talk
2016

To Tell the TruthStream

Guest
Game Show
2016

Patti LaBelle's Place

Actor
Show
2015

EmpireStream

Guest Star
Series
2015
84%

American Horror Story: Freak Show

Guest Star
Dora Brown
Show
2014

Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan: Family Edition

Guest Star
Show
2014

The Meredith Vieira Show

Guest
Talk
2014

A Capitol Fourth

Music Performer
Show
2014

The 68th Annual Tony Awards

Music Performer
Show
2014

Beat Bobby FlayStream

Guest
Reality
2014

15th Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration

Music Performer
Show
2014

Umbria Jazz: Patty Labelle

Music Performer
Show
2014

Stellar Tribute to the Holidays

Music Performer
Show
2013

The Queen Latifah Show

Guest
Talk
2013

The Queen Latifah Show

Music Performer
Talk
2013

The Real

Guest
Talk
2013

NCRM Freedom Awards

Music Performer
Show
2013

Steve Harvey

Guest
Talk
2012

Steve Harvey

Music Performer
Talk
2012

Mother's Day Gospel Music Tribute

Music Performer
Show
2012

Stellar Awards Tribute to Mother's Day

Music Performer
Show
2012

CBS This Morning

Guest
Show
2012

The Chew

Guest
Talk
2011

UNCF An Evening of Stars Presented by Target

Music Performer
Show
2011

The BET Awards 2011

Actor
Show
2011

The VoiceStream

Guest
Reality
2011

Soul Train Christmas Star Fest

Host
Show
2010

Stellar Awards Tribute to the Holidays

Music Performer
Show
2010

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

The Marriage Ref

Guest
Show
2010

Mama, I Want to Sing

Actor
Sister Carrie
Movie
2010

A Patti LaBelle Christmas

Host
Show
2009

The Dr. Oz Show

Guest
Talk
2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

Feel the Beat

Music Performer
Show
2009

An Evening of Stars Tribute to Patti LaBelle

Guest Star
Show
2009

America's Veterans: A Musical Tribute

Music Performer
Show
2008

The Doctors

Guest
Talk
2008

The Wendy Williams Show

Guest
Talk
2008

The Wendy Williams Show

Music Performer
Talk
2008

Clash of the Choirs

Contestant
Show
2007

The Better Show

Guest
Show
2007

The Morning Show With Mike & Juliet

Guest
Show
2007

The Morning Show With Mike & Juliet

Music Performer
Show
2007

Cover

Actor
Movie
2007

Rachael Ray ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2006

Patti LaBelle: Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is)

Music Performer
Show
2006

America's Got TalentStream

Music Performer
Reality
2006

Idlewild

Actor
The Real Angel Davenport
Movie
2006

Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy

Actor
Moneisha
Movie
2006

The Tyra Show

Guest
Talk
2005

Dancing With the StarsStream

Contestant
Reality
2005

Dancing With the StarsStream

Music Performer
Reality
2005

Preaching to the Choir

Actor
Sister Jasmine
Movie
2005

Nobels fredspris 2004

Music Performer
Show
2004

Your Total Health

Guest
Show
2004

'70s Soul Superstars (My Music)

Host
Show
2004

Tavis Smiley

Guest
Talk
2004

All of UsStream

Guest Star
Series
2003

American Idol

Music Performer
Reality
2003
68%

Santa Baby!

Voice
Melody Songbird
Show
2001

Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepytime Tales

Voice
Show
1999

The Early Show

Guest
Show
1999

In Performance at The White House

Music Performer
Special
1998

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

The View

Music Performer
Talk
1997

CosbyStream

Guest Star
Series
1996

Extra

Guest
News
1994

Out All Night

Actor
Chelsea Paige
Show
1992

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Music Performer
Talk
1992

Parker Kane

Actor
Cartier
Movie
1990

Patti LaBelle: If You Asked Me To

Music Performer
Show
1989

Sing

Actor
Mrs. DeVere
Movie
1989

Fire and Rain

Actor
Lucille Jacobson
Movie
1989

Sing a un Paso de la Fama

Actor
Movie
1989

A Different WorldStream

Guest Star
Series
1987

Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald: On My Own

Music Performer
Show
1986

Patti LaBelle: On My Own

Music Performer
Show
1986

Les pluies de la mort

Actor
Movie
1986

Unnatural Causes

Actor
Jeanette Thompson
Movie
1986

The Patti LaBelle Show

Host
Show
1985

All Star Rock 'n' Wrestling Saturday Spectacular

Actor
Show
1985

Patti LaBelle: New Attitude

Music Performer
Show
1984

A Soldier's StoryStream

Actor
Big Mary
Movie
1984
91%

CBS News Sunday Morning

Guest
News
1979

Richard Pryor: Live in ConcertStream

Self
Stand-up
1979
92%

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Soul Train

Music Performer
Series
1971

Sesame StreetStream

Music Performer
Series
1969

Today

Guest
News
1952

News aboutPatti LaBelle