Patti LaBelle

One notable soulful maven whose indelible talent has earned her a rightful place among rhythm and blues royalty is the incomparable Patti LaBelle. A Grammy winning R&B/soul singer who fronted two groups, Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles and LaBelle, she changed and birthed a new era of women's music and, in the process, she has influenced a new generation of female singers. Known for her strong vocals and her signature high octave vocal belting, she has been lauded as one of the greatest female vocalists with a range that is considered to be one of the highest in music.

Although she is widely-known for classic moonstruck ballads such as the duet "On My Own" with Michael McDonald, "If Only You Knew," "You Are My Friend," and "If You Asked Me To," she continues to influence current artists such as Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliott, Pink, Mya and Lil' Kim who paid homage to the soulful diva with a hip-hop infused rendition of her 1973 hit, "Lady Marmalade," for the Academy Award-winning musical Moulin Rouge. LaBelle was also showcased on VH1’s popularDivas special, accompanied by other super-star talents such as Jessica Simpson, Cyndi Lauper and Gladys Knight.

As an author, her biography, Don't Block the Blessings, was a New York Times bestseller and as a bestselling cookbook author, she's written Patti Labelle's Lite Cuisine, Labelle Cuisine and Patti's Pearls. LaBelle also starred in her own sitcom-series, Out All Night, and numerous television shows and specials. She has also hosted a lifestyle show, Living It Up with Patti LaBelle, and has expanded her horizons into fashion with Patti LaBelle Clothing, available on HSN and at HSN.com.

Also a diabetic, Labelle has been pro-active in the fight against the disease that claimed her mother's life. She serves as a spokeswoman for the National Medical Association that administers a scholarship in her name, the National Minority AIDS Council's “Live Long, Sugar” campaign and the American Diabetes Association. She also serves on the Boards of the National Alzheimer Association and the National Cancer Institute and the University of Miami's prestigious Sylvestri Comprehensive Care Center dedicated a special research laboratory in her honor for her work on behalf of cancer awareness. In addition, LaBelle has three Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Cambridge University, Drexel University and the Berklee School of Music, among a host of other accolades.