Anecdotes

Godmother of Mariah Carey.

All three of her sisters died of the same form of cancer before their 44th birthdays.

Godmother of Cyndi Lauper's son, Declyn (born November 19, 1997).

She and her husband had one biological son Zuri (born 1973), adopted her late sister Jackie's son and daughter and raised two foster sons, Dodd and Stanley.

Was given the name LaBelle (which in French translates to the beautiful) by a record executive whom originally thought she was too dark and unattractive to head the then all girl group The Blue Belles.

Was once engaged to Otis Williams of the long-time R&B singing group, The Temptations.

Oddly enough, when she and Michael McDonald first recorded the Burt Bacharach/Carole Bayer Sager song "On My Own", neither artist had even met. LaBelle recorded her part of the song in Philadelphia while McDonald completed his part in Los Angeles. Even after filming a video for the song, both singers had still not met. Not until after the song went to number one on the charts in June 1986 did the two artists finally meet when they performed *together* for the first time on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962).

Received an honorary degree (Doctor of Music) from Berkeley School of Music. (1996)

Known to give her devoted fans one of her fake eyelashes when performing in concert.

Ranked #41 on VH1's Greatest Women of Rock N Roll

Was among the guests at Usher's 26th birthday party.

Husband and manager of 30 years separating. (9 février 2000)

Has two fragrances and a line of lipsticks and nail polishes.

Owner of Chez LaBelle dinner theater in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on March 4, 1993.

Friends with Luther Vandross.

Has four siblings: Thomas Hogan Jr. (born 1930), Vivian Hogan (1932-1975), Barbara Holte (1942-1985) and Jacqueline "Jackie" Holte (1945-1989).

In 1975 with LaBelle was the first Black female group to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone.

Father Henry was a railway worker and nightclub singer. Mother Bertha was a domestic worker.

With LaBelle were the first female pop group to perform on stage at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in 1974.

In 1960 she formed The Ordettes with Nona Hendryx, Sarah Dash and Cindy Birdsong who joined in 1962 before leaving to join The Supremes.