  Patti LaBelle was born (Patricia
Holt) May 24, 1944 in Philadelphia, PA.
Although the word "diva" is used to
characterize an abundance of singers, a
precious few actually live up the title. A
diva can be viewed in terms of stature,
femininity, extreme soul, a flaunting
attitude, and an overwhelming presence. Patti
LaBelle is one of only a select few women in
history that can truly be called a diva.
Patti began singing in the church in the 50s
as part of the Beulah Baptist Church choir.
The next logical step was singing as a
career, and formed the Ordettes which evolved
into Patti LaBelle & The Blue
Belles and included Patti, Nona
Hendryx, Sarah Dash, and Cindy
Birdsong. When Birdsong left the group to
join The Supremes in 1967,
the remaining trio shortened their name to LaBelle.
Both group configurations had modest success
on pop and R&B radio including the #1
hit, "Lady Marmalade" in 1975. In
1977, the trio disbanded and Patti went solo.
Patti said of the split, "It was time
for us to part as singing partners while
remaining friends... I was afraid of being
blamed for the group's breakup, and I didn't
know how people would respond to me as an
artist on my own..." Patti's solo career
has allowed her to tap into her gospel roots,
soulful vocal range, and even dance tunes.
Fans that have witnessed Patti live know that
her LPs have only skimmed the surface of
Patti's ability to deliver a song.
 Patti's debut solo LP, Patti
LaBelle, was released in 1977 with the
favorite "You Are My Friend." With
Epic Records, Patti scored several R&B
hits including "I Don't Go
Shopping" and "Little Girls"
and 3 more LP releases: Tasty, It's
Alright With Me, and Released.
Patti then signed with Philadelphia
International Records in 1981 and released 3
more LPs: The
Spirit's In It (1981), I'm
In Love Again (1983), and Patti (1984). Patti
topped the R&B charts with "If Only
You Knew" and had more success on the
R&B charts with "Love Has Finally
Come At Last" (with Bobby Womack)
and "Love, Need And Want You."
Patti also released The
Best Of Patti LaBelle. In September, 1982,
Patti made her Broadway debut with Al Green in Your Arm's Too
Short To Box With God.
Patti was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal
Performance - Female ("The Best Is Yet To
Come").
 # 154
Singles Artist of the Year
Patti signed with MCA Records
and found pop success with two hit from the Beverly
Hills Cop soundtrack: "New
Attitude" and "Stir It Up."
Patti's flamboyant look and screaming vocals
had crossed over once again to pop radio and
video channels.
# 72
Singles Artist of the Year
 # 63
Singles Artist of the Year
Patti was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal
Performance - Female ("New Attitude").
 Patti released her first solo LP
with MCA, The
Winner In You.
Patti had her first #1 pop single and LP:
"On My Own" (a duet with Michael
McDonald) and first solo platinum LP.
Patti also had success with the tracks
"Oh, People" and "Kiss Away
The Pain."
 Patti was nominated for an American Music
Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female
Artist.
Patti was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a
Duo or Group ("On My Own" with Michael
McDonald) and Best R&B Vocal
Performance - Female (The
Winner In You).
 # 175
Singles Artist of the Year
 Patti released Be
Yourself and had hits with "If You
Asked Me To" and "Yo' Mister"
(written by Prince).
A holiday LP, This
Christmas, was released.
Patti won an Essence Award.
Patti was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal
Performance - Female for "I Can't
Complain."
 Patti released Burnin'
.
Patti hit the Top 5 on the R&B charts
with "Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know
Who It Is)," "Feels Like Another
One," and "When You've Been Blessed
(Feels Like Heaven)."
Patti won her first Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal
Performance - Female (Burnin'
) (in
a rare tie with Lisa Fischer
in that category) and was nominated for Best R&B Vocal
Performance by a Duo or Group
("Superwoman" with Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick).
 Burnin' was certified
gold.
Patti rewarded her fans with a
live LP: Live!.
Patti won an American Music
Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female
Artist
and was nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Single ("Somebody Loves
You Baby").
 # 157
Singles Artist of the Year
Patti was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal
Performance - Female ("All Right Now").
 Patti released Gems with the hits "The Right Kinda Lover" and remake of
"All This Love."
Patti hit the Top 40 with "The Right Kinda Lover."
Patti topped the Billboard Hot
Dance Music Club Play chart for a week with
"The Right Kinda Lover."
For a short time, Patti also had
her own TV series, Out All Night.
 "Patti the Songstress"
became "Patti the Author" when she
wrote her autobiography, Don't
Block The Blessings. Her book details many
of stories Patti talks about between songs in
her live performances. Stories about her
family, her losses, cancer, AIDS, becoming
empowered by music...emotional survival.
Patti could be heard on the
hugely successful soundtrack to the film, Waiting
To Exhale, with "My Love, Sweet
Love."
 Patti's complete discography of
recordings has included an impressive list of
collaborations including Jimmy Jam &
Terry Lewis, Gladys Knight, and many more. The
warmth and heart that Patti expresses in her
music has also been demonstrated in her
numerous charity involvement including: Big
Sisters of America, United Negro College
Fund, National Minority AIDS Council,
American Cancer Society, and Save The
Children.
 Patti released her Greatest
Hits.
 # 164
Singles Artist of the Year
Patti released You
Are My Friend: The Ballads.
 Patti released Flame.
Patti hit the Top 40 with "When You Talk About
Love."
Patti won an NAACP Image Award.
"When You Talk About
Love"
topped the Billboard Dance Music Club Play
chart for a week.
Patti was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal
Performance - Female ("When You Talk About
Love")
and Best R&B Album (Flame).
 Patti
LaBelle In Concert On Broadway aired on PBS in
August, and a live LP was released in
September: Live!
One Night Only as a video and 2CD
set.
, Patti talked with Daily
News about her fans: "My fans come
up to me at the restaurant and they say,
'we're sorry for disturbing you,' but they're
not disturbing me... I make enough noise so
that they will want my autograph... when they
don't, that's when I worry."
Patti talked with CNN about
recording vs. live performances: "I hate
recording... I love to sing, but going into a
studio is like going to prison. You have a
producer who makes you do (the song) in a
particular way and I know he's right... but
sometimes he may keep you on a song too long
and sometimes you can go in and do it in 1
take. It's those 100 takes that I can't
handle girlfriend, whereas on stage, I can
just be myself."
Patti won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal
Performance (Live!
One Night Only) and was nominated for 2 NAACP
Image Awards: Outstanding News, Talk or
Information Special for Intimate
Portraits, and Outstanding Performance
in a Variety Series/Special and Outstanding
Female Artist (Live!
One Night Only).
VH1: 100
Greatest Women of Rock & Roll includes Patti at # 41.
 Patti released a cookbook during
the year.
Patti released her next LP When
A Woman Loves.
 Love
Songs was released.
Patti was honored at the Soul
Train Lady of Soul Awards with the Lena Horne
Award for Outstanding Career Achievement.
 Greatest
Love Songs was released.
At the Grammy Awards, performed "Lady
Marmalade" along with Christina
Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya and Pink.
Patti could be
heard on DMX's LP, Grand
Champ, on the track "Thank
You."
 Patti was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal
Performance ("Way Up
There").
Patti was featured on VH1's Divas
Live.
Patti released Timeless
Journey.
# 401 on the Top Pop Artists
of the Past 25 Years chart.
Patti topped the Billboard
R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart with
"Gotta Go Solo."
Patti was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal
Performance ("New Day").
 Patti could be heard on the
soundtrack for Diary
Of A Mad Black Woman with the track "I
Wanna Be Free."
Patti released Classic
Moments.
Patti could be heard on the Ray Charles LP Genius
And Friends with the duet
"Shout."
 Patti could be heard on the
compilation LP So
Amazing... An All-Star Tribute To Luther
Vandross with "Here And Now."
Patti could be seen in the film
Idlewild.
 Patti released the gospel LP The Gospel According
To Patti LaBelle.
Patti topped the Billboard Top
Gospel Albums chart with The Gospel According
To Patti LaBelle.
Patti released the holiday LP Miss Patti's
Christmas.
|
Patti LaBelle
Released: 1977
Billboard
peak:
# 62
Tracks: "Joy To Have
Your Love" - "Funky Music"
- "Since I Don't Have You" -
"Dan Swit Me" - "You Are
My Friend" - "You Can't Judge A
Book By The Cover" - "I Think
About You" - "Do I Stand A
Chance" - "Most Likely You Go
Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)" |
 |
The Spirit's In It
Released: 1981
Billboard
peak:
# 156
Tracks: "The
Spirit's In It" - "Here You
Come Again" - "Love Lives"
- "I Fell In Love Without" -
"Boats Against The Current" -
"Rockin' Pneumonia" -
"Family" - "Shoot Him On
Sight" - "Over The
Rainbow" |
 |
The Best Of Patti
LaBelle
Released: June, 1982
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: Tracks: "Lady
Marmalade" - "You Are My
Friend" - "Joy To Have Your
Love" - "Little Girls" -
"Music Is My Way Of Life" -
"I Don't Go Shopping" -
"It's Alright With Me" -
"Come What May" |
 |
I'm In Love Again
Released: 1983
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 40
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "I'm In Love
Again" - "Lover Man (Oh Where
Can He Be?) " - "Love, Need And
Want You" - "If Only You
Knew" - "Body Language" -
"I'll Never Never Give Up" -
"Love Bankrupt" - "When Am
I Gonna Find True Love" |
|
Patti
Released: 1984
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 72
Tracks: "Love
Symphony" - "Living
Double" - "Where I Wanna
Be" - "Shy" - "Look
To The Rainbow" - "I Can't
Forget You" - "What Can I Do
For You" - "If You Don't Know
Me By Now" |
|
The Spirit's In It /
I'm In Love Again / Patti
Released: 1985
Tracks: "The
Spirit's In It" - "Here You
Come Again" - "Love Lives"
- "I Fell In Love Without" -
"Boats Against The Current" -
"Rockin' Pneumonia" -
"Family" - "Shoot Him On
Sight" - "Over The
Rainbow" - "I'm In Love
Again" - "Lover Man (Oh Where
Can He Be?) " - "Love, Need And
Want You" - "If Only You
Knew" - "Body Language" -
"I'll Never Never Give Up" -
"Love Bankrupt" - "When Am
I Gonna Find True Love" - "Love
Symphony" - "Living
Double" - "Where I Wanna
Be" - "Shy" - "Look
To The Rainbow" - "I Can't
Forget You" - "What Can I Do
For You" - "If You Don't Know
Me By Now" |
| | 
