Patti LaBelle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patti LaBelle
LaBelle in 2004
Background information
Birth name	Patricia Louise Holte
Born	(1944-05-24) May 24, 1944 (age 81) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul pop gospel
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actress
Years active	1960–present
Labels	Epic Philadelphia Int'l MCA Def Soul Classics Umbrella Bungalo Resolution

Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer and actress. Many people call her the "Godmother of Soul." Patti started her music journey in the early 1960s. She was the lead singer of a group called Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles.

Later, in the 1970s, the group changed its name to Labelle. They had a huge hit song called "Lady Marmalade" which went to number one. The group then went their separate ways in 1976.

In 1977, Patti began a very successful solo career. Her first album was highly praised and included the famous song "You Are My Friend". She became a big solo star in 1984 with popular songs like "If Only You Knew" and "New Attitude". In 1986, her album Winner in You became a number-one hit. It featured the chart-topping duet "On My Own" with Michael McDonald.

Patti has won two Grammy Awards. Her 1991 album Burnin' earned her a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. She won another Grammy for her live album Live! One Night Only. Her music stayed popular with young audiences through the 1990s. She even reunited with her Labelle bandmates for an album called Back to Now.

Besides music, Patti is also a talented actress. She appeared in the movie A Soldier's Story and TV shows like A Different World. She even had her own sitcom, Out All Night, in 1992. In 2015, she competed on Dancing with the Stars at 70 years old! Patti has also found success with her own brand of bedding, cookbooks, and food products. Her "Patti's Sweet Potato Pie" became super popular in 2015 after a YouTube video praised it. Walmart sold millions of them!

Patti LaBelle has sold over 50 million records worldwide during her career, which has lasted more than seven decades. She is recognized for her powerful voice and emotional singing. She has been honored with inductions into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Patti LaBelle: Early Life and Music Beginnings

Patti LaBelle was born Patricia Louise Holte in Eastwick, a part of Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was one of five children. Her father worked on the railroad and performed in clubs, and her mother was a domestic worker. Patti later shared in her book that her parents' marriage had difficulties.

She started singing in her local church choir at age ten. Two years later, she performed her first solo. As she grew up, she also enjoyed listening to R&B and jazz music.

Forming The Ordettes and The Blue Belles

When Patti was sixteen, she won a talent show at her high school, John Bartram High School. This led her to form her first singing group, The Ordettes, in 1960. The group became popular locally.

In 1962, the group added three new members: Cindy Birdsong, Sarah Dash, and Nona Hendryx. They auditioned for a record label owner named Harold Robinson. He signed them after hearing Patti sing. Robinson gave Patricia Holte the name "LaBelle," which means "the beautiful" in French.

In 1963, the group, now called "Patti LaBelle and The Blue Belles," had their first hit song, "Down the Aisle." This song became a top 40 hit on both pop and R&B charts. They also had success with their version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" in 1964.

In 1965, the group signed with Atlantic Records. They released several singles, including "All or Nothing." In 1967, Cindy Birdsong left the group to join The Supremes. By 1970, their manager left, and they were no longer with Atlantic Records.

Becoming Labelle

Patti LaBelle (center) with her Labelle bandmates Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash in 1974

That year, Vicki Wickham, a TV show producer, became their new manager. She suggested they change their name to simply Labelle. She also encouraged them to update their look and sound to include funk, rock, and psychedelic soul. In 1971, the group even opened for the Who on some of their U.S. tour dates.

Labelle signed with Warner Bros. Records and released their first album, Labelle, in 1971. Its sound was very different from their earlier girl-group style. In 1973, inspired by glam rock artists, Vicki Wickham had the group wear silver space suits and bright makeup for their performances.

After a few albums, Labelle signed with Epic Records in 1974. They released their most successful album, Nightbirds. This album mixed soul, funk, glam, and rock music. The song "Lady Marmalade" became their biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and selling over a million copies. The Nightbirds album also sold a million copies and was later added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.

In October 1974, Labelle made history as the first rock and roll vocal group to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House. They even appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in 1975.

Labelle released two more albums, Phoenix and Chameleon. While critics liked these albums, their songs didn't become big pop hits. By 1976, the group members started having disagreements about their music. After a difficult show in December 1976, Patti suggested the group take a break.

Solo Stardom: Patti's Journey

Early Solo Career (1977–1984)

Patti LaBelle signed a solo contract with Epic Records in 1977. She released her first solo album that same year. It featured disco hits like "Joy to Have Your Love" and the gospel song "You Are My Friend." "You Are My Friend" became one of her signature songs. She released three more albums with Epic Records.

After four albums, Patti signed with Philadelphia International Records. In 1982, she sang a duet with Grover Washington Jr. called "The Best Is Yet to Come." This song earned her first Grammy Award nomination. She also starred in the Broadway musical Your Arms Too Short to Box with God.

In 1983, Patti released her breakthrough album, I'm in Love Again. This album included her first top ten R&B hits, "Love, Need and Want You" and "If Only You Knew." "If Only You Knew" became her first number-one solo song in early 1984. She also appeared in the film A Soldier's Story as a club singer.

Crossover Success (1984–2009)

Patti LaBelle promoting AIDS awareness in the 1980s

In 1984, Patti recorded "New Attitude" and "Stir It Up" for the movie Beverly Hills Cop. "New Attitude" became her first big crossover solo hit, reaching number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is now one of her most famous songs.

In 1985, Patti performed at the Live Aid benefit concert, which made her even more famous as a pop star. She then signed with MCA Records.

In 1986, Patti released her best-selling solo album, Winner in You, which hit number one on the pop charts. This album included the international number-one hit "On My Own" with Michael McDonald. While Winner in You was the peak of her solo chart success, she continued to release popular albums like Be Yourself in 1989. This album featured the hit ballad "If You Asked Me To."

Patti also started acting more, with a recurring role on A Different World. In 1991, she released the album Burnin', which sold very well. This success led to her winning her first Grammy Award in 1992 for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

Her 1994 album, Gems, also sold well and included the hit "The Right Kinda Lover." In 1995, Patti performed at the Super Bowl XXIX halftime show. She released her best-selling book, Don't Block the Blessings, in 1996, and her first cookbook in 1997. In 1998, her live album Live! One Night Only earned her a second Grammy Award.

In 2006, she released her first gospel album, The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle, which reached number one on Billboard's gospel chart. In 2008, Patti briefly reunited with Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash for a new Labelle album, Back to Now.

Later Career (2010–Present)

Patti LaBelle singing at an Obama presidential campaign event in 2008

In 2010, Patti returned to Broadway to star in the musical Fela!. She played Fela's mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. In 2011, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards. She also performed at the "Women of Soul: In Performance at the White House" concert for President Barack Obama in 2014.

In 2014, Patti appeared in a guest role on the TV series American Horror Story: Freak Show. In 2015, she competed on Dancing with the Stars, finishing in eighth place. She also made a guest appearance on the TV series Empire.

Patti LaBelle sings in 2024

Patti continued her acting career with roles on shows like Daytime Divas, Greenleaf, and Star. In 2019, a street in Philadelphia was named "Patti LaBelle Way" in her honor. She also appeared on The Masked Singer as "Flower."

In 2020, Patti participated in the online music battle series Verzuz with her friend Gladys Knight. In 2024, celebrating her 80th birthday, Patti announced a new album, 8065, and a tour with the same name.

Charity Work and Activism

Patti LaBelle has supported many charities and foundations. She works to promote peace by helping people get access to education, healthcare, housing, jobs, and equal justice. She has served on national boards and is a strong supporter of health causes like diabetes, AIDS, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

In 1987, Patti became a spokesperson for the 'National Minority AIDS Council'. She encouraged people of color to seek treatment for AIDS. She has used her influence to raise awareness about the AIDS crisis and to support the LGBT community. She has performed at many pride events.

Personal Life

Patti LaBelle left John Bartram High School before graduating in 1962. She later returned in her thirties and earned her diploma.

Around 1964, Patti was engaged to Otis Williams from The Temptations. She ended the engagement because she didn't want to move to Detroit and stop her music career.

On July 23, 1969, Patti married her long-time friend, Armstead Edwards, who was a schoolteacher. He later became her manager until 2000. They separated in 2000 and divorced in 2003. They have one son, Zuri Kye Edwards (born July 17, 1973), who is now her manager. Patti is a grandmother to two girls and one boy through Zuri.

Patti's mother, Bertha, passed away in 1978 from diabetes. Her father, Henry Holte Jr., passed away in 1989 from complications of emphysema and Alzheimer's disease.

Patti also lost all three of her sisters at a young age. Her eldest sister, Vivian, died of lung cancer in 1975. Seven years later, her sister Barbara died from colon cancer. In 1989, just three months before her father's death, Patti's youngest sister, Jacqueline, died from brain cancer. Patti dedicated her 1991 album Burnin' and her song "Wind Beneath My Wings" to Jacqueline.

Patti shared in her autobiography that because her family members died young, she feared she wouldn't live to be 50. However, once she reached that age, she felt her life was just beginning. A year later, she was diagnosed with diabetes and became a spokesperson for organizations fighting the disease.

She has homes in Pennsylvania, Los Angeles, and the Bahamas.

Pop Culture Influence

Patti LaBelle is often called a "gay icon." In a 2017 interview, she said that her gay fans are a big reason she is still performing. She said, "they loved me when other people tried not to." The New York Times has called her one of "America's Most Beloved Divas."

Patti is also the main character in the funny online series Got 2B Real. In the 2010s, a video of her singing "This Christmas" from 1996 became very popular online during the holidays. People loved her reactions to technical problems during the performance.

In late 2015, Patti made headlines when a video by a vlogger named James Wright went viral. He enthusiastically praised her brand of sweet potato pies. For a while, Walmart sold one of her pies every second, selling out across the country! She has also appeared in commercials for Walmart and Old Spice.

Discography

Studio albums

• Patti LaBelle (1977)
• Tasty (1978)
• It's Alright with Me (1979)
• Released (1980)
• The Spirit's in It (1981)
• I'm in Love Again (1983)
• Patti (1985)
• Winner in You (1986)
• Be Yourself (1989)
• This Christmas (1990)
• Burnin' (1991)
• Gems (1994)
• Flame (1997)
• When a Woman Loves (2000)
• Timeless Journey (2004)
• Classic Moments (2005)
• The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle (2006)
• Miss Patti's Christmas (2007)
• Bel Hommage (2017)
• 8065 (scheduled for 2024)

Filmography

Film

Television

Documentary

Awards and Nominations

Honorary Doctorates

• Berklee College of Music (1996)
• Temple University (2010)

Emmy Awards

Grammy Awards

Image Awards

Lifetime Achievement Awards

Other Awards

See also

In Spanish: Patti LaBelle para niños

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart