パティ・ラベル (Patti LaBelle)

Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle (born Patricia Louise Holt on May 24, 1944 in West-Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter who fronted two groups, Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles and Labelle, which changed and birthed a new era of women's music and, in the process, has influenced a new generation of female singers. She is known for her strong vocals and her signature high octave vocal belting. She has been largely compared to Aretha Franklin during the 1970s, but her distinguishing vocal belting remains unique and recognizable, which has made her one of the greatest female vocalists of all time, often hailed as "The Empress of Soul". Her biography, Don't Block the Blessings, remained at the top of the New York Times best-seller list for several weeks. In addition, she is a bestselling cookbook author. Her belting range is considered to be the highest in music (Fb6) (Guinness World Records, April 2006).

Born the fourth of five children including three sisters and a brother, Patti began singing at the age of 14 in church. A shy girl, Patti had a voice of a torch diva. A school teacher advised her to start a singing group.

As Patsy Holt, LaBelle formed a four-member girl group called the Ordettes in 1958. In 1959, when two of the original Ordettes left, Holt and fellow Ordette Sandra Tucker brought in singers Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash. When Tucker's family made Sandra leave the group, she was replaced by Cindy Birdsong.

Two years passed until the girls auditioned for Blue Note Records. The president at the time nearly passed on the group upon hearing the lead singer was Patti, or "Patsy" as friends and family called her, whom he had said didn't fit the traits of a traditionally beautiful lead singer. But he changed his mind when Patsy began singing. The president signed them to the label under two conditions: The Ordettes were now the Bluebelles and Patricia "Patsy" Holt would be given a new name: Patti LaBelle. For a woman that didn't have classic beauty traits, the last name meant "beautiful" in French. The name was changed again to Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles after the manager of the group who had the same name sought to sue...
(Wikipedia: Patti LaBelle)