Patti LaBelle (born Patricia Louise Holt on May 24, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a highly revered, Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, author, businesswoman and actress. Patti has fronted two moderately successful groups Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles and LaBelle, before rising to superstardom as a solo artist in the late 1970s. She is best known for her strong soprano vocals and her signature high-octave vocal belting. She has been largely compared to Aretha Franklin during the 1970s, but her distinguishing vocal range remains unique and recognizable, and she is widely regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of all-time by such industry publications/media outlets as Jet Magazine, BET and VH1. LaBelle has recorded 16 solo studio albums since her solo debut in 1977. Patti LaBelle has also sold a reported 50 Million albums. 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 also a bestselling cookbook author - on Twitter as @LaBelleFoods. She has received recognition of her works, being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Apollo Hall of Fame, the Songwriters' Hall of Fame as well as the World Music Awards presenting her with the prestigious Legend Award. In 2012 and 2013, LaBelle went 50th Anniversary Tour, celebrating her years in the music business. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.