European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 14, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily a Magazine doing swell on her own Story by Anita Gosch staff writer song that nearly ended up in me trash can helped pave the Way for a Singer s Road to Supe stardom. On my own. Patty Labette s recent no 1 single was thrown out twice before she finally liked the Way it sounded. Palli knew thai she had to record the song not because she thought it would be a hit but because to her the song was special i never record looking Lor something that s commercial she said at a press conference in Frankfurt Germany. I do things that i feet things trom the heart. If a song does t make me cry Ihen i Don l do it.". On my own could Well be the theme song of Palli s own life. After 25 years end just As Many albums. Patty Labelle has finally made it on her own. Though Patti is a superstar in the United states Shell be treading new ground in Europe on her upcoming Lour. The recent press conference opened with a 10 minute film on the Singer with interview excerpts and concert clips to give the German Media an idea of whal Palli u All about. But whal you sae is not always what you get. On stage. Patti is As flamboyant As in her Days with Labelle. The All girl Irio she fronted in the 70s thai became known Lor its outrageous space Cadet costumes when Palti entered the conference room however she appeared modest and unpretentious dressed in White leather pants and jacket with Leopard coloured trim and boots. Only Palli s Hairdo was a dead give away to her on Slage Persona an eight Inch High fan shaped Structure sat like a Crown atop her head Patti s Hairdresser of 15 years. Norma Harris Gordon whom she lakes along on her Tours is responsible for the now famous Labelle do  the hair is not to make people look at me or to accept  said Palti. It s just that we accidentally did it one Day. After thai we found that people really liked in so we kept on doing  talking with Patti is like chatting with the next door neighbor Over the backyard Fence. Shell speak at length on just about anything her family childhood memories her Hopes and her fears. She admits to doing things that Normal people do watching to. Cleaning House cooking and Flower arranging. And she s Quick to confess her own shortcomings. In act. At times during the press conference Patti seemed just a bit too self critical she plans on taking Voica lessons she said Whan she returns to new York. Don t think i be been singing properly Tor the last 25 years " she feels she s a poor Access even though her role As a blues Singer in the 1984 movie a. Soldier s Story garnered her critical acclaim i did a screen test for the color purple and failed so thai goes to show you she thinks she s very homely under the makeup and  when she arrived All decked out at the Frankfurt Airport that morning she said. People were looking Al me As it 1 were some sort of Freak. But i said in i hey Only knew How Plain i really am and Palli says she s a very Boring  people think i m outrageous bul i m quite Boring she said. On stage i become this other person. Bul after a show i go Back to the Hole and watch to. I never go to discos or parties of do things that people think i  yet underlying the self doubt is a Core of self Confidence without which Palli would never have made it As far As she has. Ii was a Strong belief in Hersell and her abilities that kept her on her feel All these years. For 20 years people did t know who i was but i  she said. I knew that one Day people who had t caught on to Patti Labelle would catch on i always believed that there is a place for  Palti began looking for that place As a child in Philadelphia. She was very shy and preferred to stay Home and practice singing in front of a Mirror. I was a very homely child. My Mother would have to give me a Quarter to go out and play with the other kids she recalled. When she realized that her voice did t sound that bad she Gat up the courage to join the choir of a neighbourhood Baptist Church. In 1961, at age 17. Patti formed the All girl group Paul Labelle and the Blue Belles. Joining her were Cindy Birdsong who later became a member of the supreme and Nona Hendryx and Sarah dash both later went on to Solo careers though they Haven t been As successful As Palli. The group had several minor hits on the charts the Blue Belles became a Uio in 1967 following Birdsong s departure shortened their name to Labelle and adopted a space Queen look with wild and sey lame costumes in 1975 lab Coli had i is Only no. 1 hit lady marmalade Vortez Vous Couchez ave Moi a song about a Creole Hooker Patti said she never had any compunction about having recorded a song about prostitutes. Hookers will always be around it s a Way of  she said it s not my Way of life but i m sure nol going to take the mattress irom under the lady if she does t Lake the Mike out of my Mouth by the mid tvs Palti Ducci Dodini was Lime logo Solo e3u seven years and eight albums Lacr she still had not Gollen any recognition her  finally came  Lui. In i mm.1l Birau Wirf in Owumi nor. I t1 Fri Hurt living urn Lui town Eun gtd porn t p m�9p,m. Friday november 14, 19b6 the stars and stripes Page 13