Sunday Diva / Three From The Hip:
Patti Labelle
In my own personal big gay church there are members who freely and rightly float between a number of halls: that of the true divas, that of the working girls, and that of the true originals... one such multi-faceted diva?
Miss Patti Labelle.
The Godmother of Soul.
She has always had style, both vocally and visually. Trust me... the woman has never had a bad hair day.
And she's been working forever.
First with the Bluebells, then with the the band that bore her name.
She has always had style, both vocally and visually. Trust me... the woman has never had a bad hair day.
And she's been working forever.
First with the Bluebells, then with the the band that bore her name.
And finally... on her own.
She was funk. She was pop. She was Philly soul. She was adult contemporary and New Jack Swing.
If she felt it, she sang it. Her way.
No other vocalist goes where Miss Patti goes. The heights, the depths, the swoops - like a daredevil in a finely-tuned plane. You get on board with Miss Patti, you are in for the ride of your life.
Fearless, the lady keeps it real. No standard patter. No scripted anything. Miss Patti lets you know exactly how she is feeling and what she is thinking. Because to be true to her audience, to give them her all - she knows, after all these years on stage - that she must first be true to herself.
The gospel according to her?
Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.
The topic? Her place in this world.
She was funk. She was pop. She was Philly soul. She was adult contemporary and New Jack Swing.
If she felt it, she sang it. Her way.
No other vocalist goes where Miss Patti goes. The heights, the depths, the swoops - like a daredevil in a finely-tuned plane. You get on board with Miss Patti, you are in for the ride of your life.
Fearless, the lady keeps it real. No standard patter. No scripted anything. Miss Patti lets you know exactly how she is feeling and what she is thinking. Because to be true to her audience, to give them her all - she knows, after all these years on stage - that she must first be true to herself.
The gospel according to her?
Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.
The topic? Her place in this world.
--- ---
"When I think about it, the gay fans are some of the reason – one big reason – I'm still standing, 'cause they loved me when other people tried not to. Everybody always says, "What makes gay men like you?" "I have no clue," I say. I still don't. But I know that love has lifted me up for many, many years."
Patti LaBelle - Love, Need and Want You
If You Asked Me To - Patti Labelle
The Right Kinda Lover - Patti Labelle
And one more parting shot...
"A diva is someone who is a perfectionist, who does her best in her craft. So if diva means giving your best, then yes, I guess I am a diva."
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6 comments:
And she always ended up shoeless on stage. My fav Patti song was the duet with Michael McDonald.
Sometimes she veers too far into Patti-ness for my tastes, but there's no denying the talent!
PHILLY HOMEGIRL! my fave of hers: "on my own".
I saw her many times in concert and after awhile she really didn't do much actual signing leaving that up to the background singers doing what Bob called "Patti-ness". Too bad. Tickets weren't cheap and the shows became so predictable - telling the same stories over and over again, crying at the same points in various songs.
Lovely woman, especially the hair!
Love her!
The voice, the personality, the songs!
I agree with Anne Marie: 'On my Own' is my fav. Well, that and Lady Marmalade.
XOXO
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