Patti LaBelle

Labelle is an all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. Originally forming as The Ordettes in 1960 by lead singer Patti LaBelle and childhood friend Sandra Tucker who was replaced by Cindy Birdsong in 1961 and with the inclusion of former members of the New Jersey-based Del Capris, Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx, they eventually changed their name to The Bluebelles in 1962 after signing their first recording contract. Mixing doo-wop and gospel, they became known for performing renditions of pop standards such as "Over the Rainbow" and "You'll Never Walk Alone".

After Birdsong's departure to join The Supremes in 1967, the group altered their image at least twice in the 1970s and changed their name to Labelle, performing rock-meshed soul and gospel-singing harmonies, under a pro-feminist approach and famously opening for The Who. In 1973, the group adopted a more flamboyant image and music that melded disco, funk and glam rock. This incarnation of group was best known for singing more provocative issues including racism, sexism and eroticism.

The group is most notable for the proto-disco funk classic "Lady Marmalade" and their outlandish space-age costumes and brash incorporation of rock & roll. They're also known for heralded performances at The Apollo Theater and the Metropolitan Opera House, the latter hall where they became the first contemporary pop group and first African American group to perform there. Although they never announced a breakup, after the end of a 1976 tour, each member enjoyed significant amount of solo success including Nona Hendryx, who followed an idiosyncratic muse into her own solo career, which often bordered on the avant-garde and Patti LaBelle, who's enjoyed a very successful Grammy-winning solo career.

The group returned with their first new album in 32 years with 2008's Back to Now.

History

The beginning – initial success

In 1961, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash of the Del Capris joined Patricia Holte and Sandra Tucker as replacement singers for Holte's singing group, The Ordettes (when Tucker's parents made her leave the group, she was replaced by Cindy Birdsong)

. Patricia "Patsy" Holte had her name changed to Patti LaBelle after the group became The Bluebelles.

Though the first single was "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" (released as The Bluebelles), LaBelle relays in her memoir, (''Don't Block The Blessings''), that the group did not actually perform on the original track. The song's producer recorded it with The Starlets and renamed them the Bluebelles, but the group left upon the single's release.

He quickly recruited The Ordettes to perform and promote the single using the Bluebells’ moniker, and "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" was later re-cut by the new group. The song was a hit, as were the new Bluebelles. In 1963 they followed this success with songs such as, "Down the Aisle", "You'll Never Walk Alone" (1964; Rodgers & Hammerstein) and "Danny Boy".

Becoming Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles – Atlantic Records

They signed with Atlantic Records in 1965, releasing "Over the Rainbow" and "Groovy Kind of Love" (later a hit for the Mindbenders and Phil Collins) with only mild success. They also contributed background vocals to Wilson Pickett's hit "634-5789" in 1966. Along the line, they extended their name to Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles.

In 1967, the group became a trio after Cindy Birdsong left to join the Supremes, replacing Florence Ballard. Three years later, the group lost their contract and hired Vicki Wickham, a British TV producer, to remake their image. She changed the name to Labelle and pushed the group to a more contemporary sound, incorporated glam influences, particularly in the spectacular spacey stage costumes that included large amounts of glitter, feathers and other acoutrements. In the early 70s, Labelle opened for the Who and lent their unmistakably powerful vocals to Laura Nyro's now-classic Gonna Take a Miracle album in 1971. Two songs from this album ("Desiree" and "Gonna Take a Miracle") were used in the 2004 Colin Farrell film A Home at the End of the World to great dramatic effect — especially "Gonna Take a Miracle," at the end of the film. Labelle also contributed to Nikki Giovanni's "Peace Be Still".

The group released Labelle in 1971 on Warner Bros. Records. It included covers of songs by the Rolling Stones, Kenny Rogers, Carole King and Laura Nyro. The following album, Moonshadow (1972), even though it included covers of famous songs ("MoonShadow" by Cat Stevens and the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again"), gave Hendryx more freedom to write material for Labelle. The album flopped commercially, as did the third Labelle album, Pressure Cookin, (1973), released on RCA Records. By this time and until Labelle's break-up, Hendryx wrote most of Labelle's material, taking the songs in a highly experimental direction that was a far cry from the sound that the Bluebelle's (and most other "girl groups" of the era) had performed. Although the album was not commercially successful, Pressure Cookin allowed her to hone her talents as a songwriter, clearly demonstrated by the moving "(Can I Speak to You Before You Go to) Hollywood," which was based on the way the ladies felt when people who had "made it" in the business no longer were interested in keeping in contact with Patti, Sarah, or Nona.

LaBelle begins her solo career

After Pressure Cookin', Labelle signed with Epic Records and recorded an album, Nightbirds, with Allen Toussaint, a famous record producer. "Lady Marmalade", a sexy, funky disco song about a New Orleans prostitute (with a come-hither French chorus, "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?") became a massive hit in 1975 and one of the first mainstream disco hits (Jones and Kantonen, 1999). The success of the single also pushed the album to the top of the charts. It would be covered by numerous artists including Madchester-era indie The Happy Mondays (spliced into "Kinky Afro") and most notably Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa and Pink for the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack. As a result of their groundbreaking success between 1974 and 1975, Labelle also made the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in 1975 making them the first African American vocal group to be placed on the cover of the rock magazine.

Labelle's commercial momentum after Nightbirds and "Lady Marmalade" decreased, in spite of several hits and the critically acclaimed experimental albums Phoenix (1975) and Chameleon (1976). After a final tour and an agreement to part ways amicably following a 1976 concert, Hendryx and LaBelle managed successful solo careers, while Sarah Dash had a few notable dance hits: "Sinner Man" (1978, which gained her much public attention), and "Lucky Tonight" (1984), with Sylvester singing background vocals. Dash also acted on television for the PBS series Watch Your Mouth, (1978), and has performed on Broadway. Her career picked up again om the 90s when she was asked to sing with The Rolling Stones on their Steel Wheels album, and even more so when she became one of Keith Richards' "X-pensive Winos," and was given solo and duet opportunities with his band (namely the (duet) ballad, "Make No Mistake," and solo "Time Is on My Side," which Richards said in his autobiography is "the best version he has ever heard").

Reunions

LaBelle, Hendryx and Dash have reunited several times including a famed 1991 reunion at the Apollo Theater 30 years after the group first stole the audience's hearts at the same venue. The concert was recorded as a live album. A brief reunion came in the form of the huge dance success "Turn It Out," from the To Wong Foo soundtrack. They reunited again in 2001 to honor Patti on BET's "Walk of Fame," where they performed an explosive version of "What Can I Do for You," as well as "Lady Marmalade". The most recent reunion was in 2005 during a tribute to Patti's 45th anniversary in show business. In January 2006, Labelle again reunited to record "Dear Rosa," a tribute to the late civil rights champion Rosa Parks. The release date of the single has not been set at this time. There are also plans for an entire reunion album and tour, set to happen in 2008-2009. Check www.labelleisback.com for more information. In addition, Labelle contributed the theme song for the soundtrack of the film, Preaching to the Choir.

Erykah Badu pays homage to the group's final album Chameleon in her new video "Honey" by recreating the album cover art.

The group released an album of new material on October 21, 2008 called Back To Now (the disc also includes one unreleased cover of "Miss Otis Regrets" taken from Labelle's archives in the 70s). In an interview with the Toronto Star [1] Patti LaBelle explained why she, Dash and Hendryx waited over 32 years to record a full length album: "You don't want to half-step something this important....it was about finding the right time and place. We were never ones to do anything on anyone else's time anyway; we were always unconventional. I still have my glitter boots to prove it."

The group performed together at the Apollo Theatre in New York City on December 19, 2008.

Discography

As The Bluebelles (aka Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles):

Sweethearts of the Apollo (Newtown Records)
The Bluebelles on Stage (Cameo-Parkway)
Over the Rainbow (Atlantic)
Dreamer (Atlantic)

As Labelle:

Labelle (Warner Bros. Records)
Gonna Take a Miracle (Laura Nyro ft. Labelle) (Columbia)
Moon Shadow (Warner Bros. Records)
''Pressure Cookin' (RCA)
Nightbirds (Epic)
Phoenix (Epic)
Chameleon (Epic)
Back to Now (Verve)

Singles & US Chart Positions

BLUE BELLES:

"I Sold My Heart To The Junkman",1962,Newtown 5000,US R&B #13,US HOT #15
"I Found A New Love",1962,Newtown 5006,US HOT #122
"Cool Water",1963,Newtown 5009,US HOT #127

PATTI LaBELLE & THE BLUE BELLES:

"Down The Aisle (Wedding Song),1963,Newtown 5777, US R&B #14,US HOT #37

PATTI LaBELLE & HER BLUE BELLES:

You'll Never Walk Alone",1964,Parkway 896 US R&B #32,US HOT #34
"Danny Boy",1964,Parkway 935,US HOT #76

PATTI LaBELLE & THE BLUE BELLES:

"All Or Nothing",1966,Atlantic 2311,US HOT#68
"Take Me For A Little While",1967,Atlantic 2373,US R&B #36,US HOT #89

LABELLE:

"Lady Marmalade",1974,Epic 50048 US R&B #1,US HOT #1
"What Can I Do For You", 1975,Epic 50097 US R&B #8, US HOT #48
"Messin' With My Mind", 1975,Epic 50140 US R&B #19
"Far As We Felt Like Goin'",1975,Epic 50168 US R&B #99
"Get You Somebody New",1976,Epic 50262 US R&B #50, US HOT #102
"Isn't It a Shame",1977,Epic 50315,US R&B #18
"Superlover",2008,Verve Cut,US R&B #62

Industry Music Artists