The acclaimed, Emmy-nominated series “Oprah’s Master Class” featuring an unprecedented first-person insight into the brilliant minds of entertainers we love, respect and admire, will feature Grammy Award-winning songstress and actress Patti LaBelle on Sunday, November 22 at 8p ET/PT on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.
In the ’70s, Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash took the music world by storm as Labelle, a girl group best known for their space-age style and disco anthems. Patti shares how the group came to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House and what she learned about taking chances, asking tough questions and getting out of her own way.
Legendary singer Patti LaBelle grew up in a house full of women. While Patti and her three sisters—Barbara, Vivian and Jackie—had their share of arguments, they forged a close bond during their early years in Philadelphia.
Sadly, between 1975 and 1989, all three of Patti’s sisters died of cancer. None of them lived to see their 45th birthdays. The day before Jackie, Patti’s younger sister, passed away, Patti says she’d just returned home from tour when she got a request from her last surviving sibling. “She asked me to make her an egg sandwich,” Patti says. “I said to my aunt, because Jackie couldn’t speak very well then, ‘Aunt Hattie, tell her that I’ll make it tomorrow.’ The next day I made the sandwich. I said, ‘Hattie, I’m on the way.’ She said, ‘Don’t rush. Your sister just passed.'”
To this day, Patti says she misses her sister like crazy. After Jackie’s death, Patti sang at her funeral and adopted her son and daughter. Now, Patti says the deaths of her sisters influence how she lives her life.
“Live your life today, because you have no idea what can happen in the next hour of this day,” she says. “[Jackie] knew I loved her, but I was busy touring, and I was too tired to make that sandwich that day, so do it now. Do everything now you can for your family.”
Watch as Patti shares why she tries to live each day like it’s her last.
About “Oprah’s Master Class: Patti LaBelle”
Larger than life female vocalist Patti Labelle has electrified audiences over the past five decades. Growing up, she was hesitant about revealing her God-given talent, but as lead singer for the group Labelle, made famous for their unforgettable hit “Lady Marmalade,” and later as a solo artist, Patti Labelle has achieved remarkable success in music and on the Broadway stage, fiercely dedicated to performing her best and remaining honest with her fans. And while her achievements may be great, Labelle’s career and life are still ruled by her belief to live life for today and remaining ageless.
About Master Class Season Five
The fifth and all-new season of “Oprah’s Master Class” has featured multiple Emmy-winning host Ellen DeGeneres, film legend Robert Duvall, Grammy Living Legend Award winner Smokey Robinson and box office draw Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The season continues this week with Grammy Award-winning songstress and actress Patti LaBelle (November 22). Remaining masters include five-time Grammy Award winner and singer-songwriter James Taylor (November 29) and Oscar-winning actor and musician Jeff Bridges (December 6).
