The success led to her first singing group, the Ordettes, in 1960 with schoolmates Jean Brown, Yvonne Hogen, and Johnnie Dawson.

[13] In 1962, the Ordettes included three new members, Cindy Birdsong, Sarah Dash, and Nona Hendryx, the latter two girls had sung for another vocal group which was defunct at the time.

[13] The Starlets' manager sued Harold Robinson after the Blue Belles were seen performing a lip-synching version of the song on American Bandstand.

In 1970, Vicki Wickham, producer of the UK music show Ready, Steady, Go, agreed to manage the group after Dusty Springfield mentioned signing them.

In 1973, influenced by glam rockers David Bowie and Elton John, Wickham had the group dressed in silver space suits and luminescent makeup.

In October 1974, Labelle made pop history by becoming the first rock and roll vocal group to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Riding high on the success of "Lady Marmalade" and the Nightbirds album, Labelle made the cover of Rolling Stone in 1975.

The album was noted for the disco hits, "Joy to Have Your Love" and "Dan Swit Me" and the gospel ballad, "You Are My Friend", the latter song becoming her first career-defining single despite its low entry on the R&B chart.

In 1982, she was featured on the Grover Washington duet "The Best Is Yet to Come", and earned accolades that year for starring in the Broadway musical Your Arms Too Short to Box with God.

In 1984, LaBelle recorded the songs "New Attitude" and "Stir It Up" for the soundtrack to the Eddie Murphy film, Beverly Hills Cop.

In 1985, LaBelle performed on the TV special, Motown Returns to Apollo and also as part of the all-star benefit concert, Live Aid.

In August, the same year of that album's release, LaBelle performed as the Acid Queen for The Who's second all-star concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of their rock-opera Tommy at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles.

During the promotional run of the album, she headlined VH1 Divas for the first time, alongside artists like Debbie Harry and Jessica Simpson and good friends Knight and Cyndi Lauper.

[20] After the release of her 2005 covers album, Classic Moments, LaBelle was in a rivalry with Antonio "L.A." Reid over the direction of her career, leading to her leaving the label.

[23] On September 14, 2010, LaBelle made a return two decades after her last Broadway performance to star in the award-winning musical Fela!

She replaced Tony Award-nominee Lillias White as Fela's mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and performed with the production through the end of its run on January 2, 2011.

[35] She returned to the VH1 Divas stage in 2016, headlining a holiday-themed concert alongside Chaka Khan, Vanessa Williams, and her goddaughter Mariah Carey.

[42] LaBelle continued her acting career with roles alongside Cedric the Entertainer on The Neighborhood and Dulé Hill on The Wonder Years.

[43][44] In September 2020 live from The Fillmore in Philadelphia, LaBelle participated in the American webcast series Verzuz, alongside longtime friend Gladys Knight with a surprise appearance by Dionne Warwick.

[49] She has served on several national boards as a devoted advocate for health causes, including diabetes, AIDS, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

The engagement lasted a year before Patti broke it off after fearing Williams would force her to move to Detroit and retire from the road.

Seven years later, in October 1982, her elder sister Barbara Holte Purifoy died from complications of colon cancer at the age of 40.

In July 1989, three months before her father's death, LaBelle lost her youngest sister, Jacqueline "Jackie" Holte-Padgett, to brain cancer at the age of 43.

The singer dedicated her 1991 Burnin' album, and her famous rendition of the song "Wind Beneath My Wings" during her concert tour in 1991–92 to Padgett.

[61] In June 2011, a West Point cadet filed a civil suit against LaBelle after he was allegedly assaulted by her bodyguards at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas.

LaBelle and her entourage were on their way to a gig in Louisiana when Richard King, a 23-year-old cadet on spring break, was waiting to be picked up in the ride-share area.

[64] Patti LaBelle has been described as "the greatest gay icon of all time and a prime example of the intersection of the LGBT community and black female artists".

"[66] The New York Times called LaBelle one of three of "America's Most Beloved Divas" alongside Dolly Parton and Barbra Streisand.

[69] The viral video is referenced in LaBelle's A Black Lady Sketch Show appearance, including the episode's title.

LaBelle made some headlines in late 2015 when James Wright (No Channel), a vlogger spoke enthusiastically on YouTube of her brand of sweet potato pies.