HELLO AMERICA!—Ever since the 1960s, Patti LaBelle has been a steady creative force in millions of homes not only in America but around the globe. Her unique way of expressing her story with her songs has garnered a permanent place in popular music history.
Where others have made a tremendous splash their respective hits and later faded away, unable to follow with anything as dynamic as well as marketable, Patti has continued to keep things rocking and taking her audiences to the absolute edge of excitement with her, at times, outrageous shows.
LaBelle quickly understands that her Philadelphia upbringing keeps her always looking ahead. “We are the kind of people who are never satisfied. Once we finish one race, we’re looking around for another one to challenge,” she noted. Her debut group Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles made quite an impression on the industry. It was decided that a name change was needed, so they became “LaBelle” and released hit “Marmalade” a disco sensation.
Then in 1976, LaBelle had the urge to hit the road as a single which, of course, surprised the other members of the group. However, they understood one thing, when Patti made up her mind about something that was it. This decision resulted in her critically acclaimed album “You Are My Friend.”
This was followed by singles, “If Only You Knew,” “New Attitude” and “Stir It Up.” These were instant crossover pop tunes on radio. With her winning album “On My Own” with Michael McDonald she walked away with her first Grammy (1992) and later again for being named as Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for song “Live! One Night Only.” Patti admits that when she gets the urge to move on, anything and everything is possible.
She is one woman who has to keep “movin’ on and on.” This kind of electric energy resulted in her signing to star in numerous stage and screen productions. She won raves for her performance in “A Soldier’s Story,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” the Broadway gospel musical “Your Arm’s Too Short to Box with God,” a recurring role in the TV series “A Different World.” LaBelle surprised her fans with an appearance on the popular series “American Horror Story” in 2014.
Patti married manager, Armstead Edwards, in 1969; however, they ended the union in 2000. When asked about the ending of that long union, Patti simply said, “Listen, when the pot gets empty, only a fool would try to get water from it. Simple as that!”
