BayFest

By Kevin Lee Associate Editor

It’s easy to imagine an R&B singer whose greatest gift to American culture is the addition of a new phrase to the cultural lexicon. What’s harder to envision is that the phrase would be in the French language.

When Patti Labelle’s group recorded “Lady Marmalade” in the 1970s, it took no time before millions of Americans were singing it’s catchy yet risqué phrases. “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi (ce soir)” became something you could croon in front of your grandmother, provided Grandma didn’t “parlez-vous Francais.”

It was hardly a surprise for followers of the Philadelphia native who turned her musical fame into a multi-faceted career. Born Patricia Louise Holt, she led a pair of successful groups in the ‘70s and influenced a generation of singers who followed her. Early on, her range and power brought comparisons to Aretha Franklin but she has extended her success beyond the studio into the world of publishing.

Patti first began singing in church groups at the age of 14. Though shy, her powerful voice turned heads and before long she was leading her first group, the Ordettes. After two years together, they tried out for Blue Note records and were signed under two stipulations from the label president: that their name would now be the Bluebelles and that Patsy Holt would change her name to Patti Labelle.

They had their first hit in 1962 and would become not only mainstays of the chitlin’ circuit but also earned the nickname “The Apollo Sweethearts” for their performances at Harlem’s venerated theater.

By 1970, the Bluebelles had shifted membership and focus, moved to England, then returned to the States with a new name and look. Now known simply as Labelle, they had a new wardrobe, vocal style and attitude. By mid-decade, they had transformed into a soul band riding new musical trends and their disco hit “Lady Marmalade,” about a New Orleans seductress, went to number one on the pop charts and made their album “Nightbirds” go platinum.

In 1976, the band broke up and Patti went solo. By the1980s, she enjoyed hits with songs such as “New Attitude” and “On My Own,” a duet with former Doobie Brother Michael McDonald. Patti had also earned a reputation for her wild hairstyles and electrifying stage performances.

In 1995, Labelle was diagnosed with diabetes and not only became a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association, but published two successful cookbooks for diabetics. Her biography, “Don’t Block the Blessings,” was at the top of the New York Times bestseller list for several weeks.

Patti continues to record hit songs and has influenced a generation of younger artists like Christina Aguilera, Nelly, L’il Kim, Destiny’s Child and Mya. In 1993, she became the first recording artist to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2003, she performed “Way Up There” during a memorial at the Washington National Cathedral for astronauts who perished in the space shuttle Columbia disaster.

In 2005, she announced the reunion of the group Labelle and Patti’s long-awaited gospel album, “The Gospel According to Patti Labelle” is due for release in October of this year.

Kevin Lee is Lagniappe associate editor. Contact him at klee@lagniappemobile.com.

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