Neither I nor Patti LaBelle are strangers to Billboard’s Number One Hits charts. I’m a student and collector of music, while Ms. LaBelle actually had two songs hit the coveted number one position. The first one came in 1975 when the song Lady Marmalade by LaBelle, the band she was fronting before become a solo act, topped the charts for a week in March. The second came as the result of another collaboration – this time with Michael McDonald. The song On My Own capped out at number one for three weeks in June in 1986.
So when I heard that Patti LaBelle was going to be doing a personal appearance at two of my stores on Wednesday, February 22, and Thursday, February 23, 2012, promoting her various cookbooks as well as her line of Lady Marmalade food, I made sure that I was there in attendance for her signing on the first day at the Queen City store in Cincinnati.
Being an employee of the company, I naturally had all access to the breakroom area where she would rest before the signing, as well as being able to stand up with her while she signed. However, this didn’t necessarily translate into getting much special treatment when it came to pictures. She brought along her own entourage and it didn’t seem appropriate to disturb her for photographs. Naturally, had I not worked for the store, I would have been much more aggressive in attempting to get a good photo.
She addressed the crowd briefly both before and after the signing, which lasted exactly one hour from 1:30-2:30pm. She was kind enough to sign any item, with a limit of one per person. Some had books signed, some records, and even a few food items. If folks didn’t have an item or make a purchase, they did provide promo photos to be signed.
I patiently waited until all of the customers had received their autographs (occasionally snapping close-up photos of her for some of her fans), all the while standing by her table with other associates and security, and then I was the last person to get one of the photos signed. My co-worker Julie snapped a photo of us as she was signing for me.
I had hoped for a more intimate picture of the two of us together, but like I said, I couldn’t very well make a spectacle of myself among my peers. Gitchi gitchi ya ya here.
Return to February 2012…
I also remember her from “Patti LaBelle and The Bluebelles” in the 1960’s.
Dad
March 3rd, 2012