THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 24, 1996 TAG: 9602240057
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARSHA GILBERT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
SHE HASN'T released an album in two years, but with her ``New Attitude'' and unparalleled style, Patti LaBelle, the reigning queen of rock 'n' soul, continues to ``Stir It Up.''
The Grammy-winning star of television, stage, screen and radio - and a longtime favorite in Hampton Roads - will be at Norfolk's Chrysler Hall Sunday. Tickets are $37.50, while they last.
``She is in the stratosphere among the stars,'' said John C. Scott, who has booked LaBelle regularly for the Hampton Jazz Festival. ``People love her to death. She has a loyal following of fans who really love her performance for the energy and electricity that she generates.''
To those fans, LaBelle, 51, is a gem, just like the title of her 1994 album.
``Attendance at her concerts doesn't rely on when her CDs are released,'' said Scott, the festival's associate producer. ``Her audience sees her enjoying herself on stage and it's infectious to them. All that put together makes her the entertainer that she is.''
LaBelle lovers not only turn out for her concerts, they take her home - on tapes, CDs and videos.
``She always does well with us,'' said Randy Bolin, co-owner of DJ's Music & Video. ``We have five stores. It's rare on any given day if we don't sell something by her in at least one store. I don't think it's ever happened.''
It's not hard to understand why LaBelle is a favorite with record-buyers. She has been recording since the '60s. DJ's keeps 35 titles of her music in stock.
``Before and after a concert we sell 15 to 20 percent more of her music,'' said Bolin.
Even when LaBelle is not in town, she's heard regularly on R&B radio.
``Good talent always stands out,'' said DJ Heart Attack, program director for 103 JAMZ, Hampton Roads' top-rated radio station, and WSVY-AM.
``Patti can sing and she has a cult following, like the Grateful Dead. The market supports her and buys her products,'' added Heart Attack, who is really Norfolk native Michael E. Mauzone. ``Being in the Top 10 for several weeks off of one single shows she is a strong artist. She gives a hell of a performance. She is the bomb!''
Part of LaBelle's longevity is that she continues to reinvent herself. Her hair, fashion and musical style have dramatically changed over more than 30 years in the entertainment business.
In the '60s, LaBelle, a native Philadelphian, sang with Cindy Birdsong, who later joined the Supremes, in a group called the Ordettes. When Nona Hendrix and Sarah Dash joined the group, the name was changed to Patti LaBelle and the Bluebells. Their sweet, innocent hits included ``Down the Aisle'' and ``Danny Boy.''
The '70s brought rock's first all-female band called LaBelle. Their hard-edged hits, among them ``Lady Marmalade'' and ``The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,'' filled the disco floors.
By the end of the decade, LaBelle became a solo artist. Since then she has changed images, evidenced by her top-selling singles ``New Attitude'' and ``On My Own.''
With all of her new looks and sounds, she continues to be down-to-earth, generous and approachable. LaBelle performed on the Disney Channel concert, ``For the Children,'' a benefit for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation. She also is the spokeswoman for the National Cancer Institute. Breast cancer claimed her mother and three sisters; for her cancer-awareness efforts, LaBelle received the Howard University Hospital Legacy of Leadership Award.
She also champions adoption, foster care, Big Sisters and the United Negro College Fund.
One of her greatest thrills was when her fans raised money to have a gold star placed in her honor on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in March 1993. ILLUSTRATION: CONCERT FACTS
Who: Patti LaBelle
When: 8 p.m. Sunday
Where: Chrysler Hall, Norfolk
Tickets: $37.50; order at 671-8100
KEYWORDS: PROFILE by CNB