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Also naming Broad Street, between Spruce and Locust Streets, “Patti LaBelle Way,” to honor Philadelphia living legend Patti LaBelle.
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WHEREAS, Patti LaBelle was born May 24, 1944, and raised in the Eastwick section of Southwest Philadelphia. Ms. LaBelle grew up singing in her local church choir at Beulah Baptist Church and attended Bartram High School. At the age of sixteen, Ms. LaBelle and her classmate Cindy Birdsong created the musical group called The Ordettes, which became The Bluebelles; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Labelle found early success with the Bluebelles, recording hits such as “I Sold My Heart to the Junkman,” “Danny Boy,” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” In 1973, Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles were the first African-American act to perform at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House; and
WHEREAS, Ms. LaBelle began her prolific career as a solo artist in 1977, releasing five albums in five years. She then signed with hometown record label Philadelphia International in the early 1980s; and
WHEREAS, In the years that followed, she ascended to international stardom, with hit songs on the radio and in film and television productions. A regular on the Billboard charts, she reached the top spot in 1986 with her single “On My Own”; and
WHEREAS, Ms. LaBelle, reverently known as the Godmother of Soul, has also won two Grammy awards and thirteen nominations. In 2004, Ms. LaBelle’s single “Lady Marmalade” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, Ms. LaBelle’s storied career has been honored with a plaque on the Philadelphia Music Alliance’s Walk of Fame, a star on the Apollo Theater Walk of Fame, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ms. LaBelle has won seven Image Awards, a Soul Train Music Heritage Award, and The Essence Award-Triumphant Spirit Award, the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, and Black Girls Rock Living Legend Award. In 2017, Ms. LaBelle was honored by the National Museum of African American Music as a musical icon; and
WHEREAS, Ms. LaBelle’s talents transcend music. Ms. LaBelle has appeared in movies such as Preaching to the Choir, Idlewild, A Solider Story, Semi-Pro and Mama I Want to Sing. Ms. Labelle has also appeared in numerous television series, including American Horror Story, Empire, A Different World, Star, and Out All Night; and
WHEREAS, Generous with her time, talent, and global following, Ms. LaBelle has made a mark as an advocate and philanthropist for healthcare, education, and civil rights for vulnerable communities including youth, women, LGBTQ people and people of color; and
WHEREAS, Ms. LaBelle has prominently supported local and national charities, including the United Negro College Fund, the American Diabetes Association, the Black AIDS Institute, and Big Brothers Big Sisters; and
WHEREAS, Ms. LaBelle’s charitable work has been recognized nationally with awards including the Excellence in Media Award by GLAAD and the Humanitarian Award by the We Are Family Foundation; and
WHEREAS, Ms. LaBelle is a prodigiously talented cook and entrepreneur. She was the host of the television show Patti LaBelle’s Place on the Cooking Channel and has authored multiple cookbooks, including the New York Times bestseller LaBelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing About. She also is celebrated as the creator of “Patti’s Good Life” pies, which were an overnight sensation and are sold nationally at Walmart stores; and
WHEREAS, Ms. LaBelle has been recognized with some of Philadelphia’s highest honors for her lifetime of accomplishments. In 2016, she received the Marian Anderson Award, along with fellow Philadelphia legends Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. In 2010, she received an honorary doctorate from Temple University. In 2018, WDAS honored her as a Women of Excellence. And, perhaps most significantly, she has been honored by Philadelphia’s Mural Arts program with a mural at the intersection of 34th Street and Mantua Avenue; and
WHEREAS, Ms. LaBelle is nothing less than a Philadelphia living legend. In one arena after another, Ms. LaBelle has left a lasting imprint on the world and made her hometown of Philadelphia deeply proud; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Broad Street between Spruce Street and Locust Street shall be also named “Patti LaBelle Way,” to honor Philadelphia living legend Patti LaBelle; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That an engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to Patti LaBelle as an expression of appreciation by this legislative body.
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