The Real Reason Patti LaBelle Called Off Her Engagement To One Of The Temptations

[marv2]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/patti-labelle-engagement-temptations_564f9657e4b0d4093a57e49d

[midnightman]

Imagine had Patti taken the plunge... I'm glad she followed her instinct and not marry Otis. Music history would've probably been completely different had that happened!

[marv2]

Imagine had Patti taken the plunge... I'm glad she followed her instinct and not marry Otis. Music history would've probably been completely different had that happened!

Could you imagine the arguments in that household? Otis being so soft spoken and Patti loud enough to blow out the windows at Beluah Baptist Church in W. Philly. LOL!!!

[theboyfromxtown]

Wow..........

[westgrandboulevard]

One day, over 50 years ago, someone must have heard Patti LaBelle's prayer, 'Lead me not into Temptation...'

[marv2]

one day, over 50 years ago, someone must have heard patti labelle's prayer, 'lead me not into temptation...'

hahaha! Lol~!!!!!

[midnightman]

Could you imagine the arguments in that household? Otis being so soft spoken and Patti loud enough to blow out the windows at Beluah Baptist Church in W. Philly. LOL!!!

Would've probably been a hot mess lol

[marv2]

Would've probably been a hot mess lol

It would have been An American Horror Show! LOL!!!

[Mark Desjardines]

Having a Canadian Cable TV selection that is fantastic, but not necessarily geared to giving me a heads up when soul/r&b/ programming of interest to me is being aired, if I don't read about it here, I can miss out. I managed to catch all of the "Oprah Live at the Apollo "series except for the Gladys Knight show. As a subsequence, I discovered the Masterclass series and taped the Smokey Robinson and Patti LaBelle episodes. Frankly I was disappointed that Patti's show didn't feature more performance clips, and seemed to have way too many commercial breaks. Patti, known for her BIG voice, also has a BIG mouth and let her opinions flow. "I give a different show every evening. I'm not like OTHERS who sing the SAME set show after show." No prize for correctly guessing who that barb was directed at. This comment had me whooping with laughter...." I LOVE Diana and Cindy, I really DO!" "Diana thought she was ADDING to her group when she was TAKING away from mine, but she DIDN'T affect us at all!" Not to stir up the sh_t pot, but in Montreal in 1967, as a 16 year with the President of the Supremes Fan Club at the Bonaventure Hotel, where we anxiously awaited for Diana to cross the lobby, we saw her and her entourage leave the dining room to the elevator. Somehow, we slipped in unnoticed behind her party. Just as we about to say something, someone read Diana a review of one of their two concerts at the Expo Theatre from the previous evening. It was one of Cindy's first stage appearances, but she was not introduced as a new member, and most people didn't realize the switch as yet. Somehow the reviewer mentioned this fact and Patti LaBelle's name. Diana exploded with an expletive that shocked me! Why did they mention that _ _ _ _ _ '_ name in MY review! The Supremes' huge hit was "Reflections" that summer , and this inside peek to my idol gave me a lot to reflect upon. Heavy is the head that wears the crown of "Diva."

[marv2]

Having a Canadian Cable TV selection that is fantastic, but not necessarily geared to giving me a heads up when soul/r&b/ programming of interest to me is being aired, if I don't read about it here, I can miss out. I managed to catch all of the "Oprah Live at the Apollo "series except for the Gladys Knight show. As a subsequence, I discovered the Masterclass series and taped the Smokey Robinson and Patti LaBelle episodes. Frankly I was disappointed that Patti's show didn't feature more performance clips, and seemed to have way too many commercial breaks. Patti, known for her BIG voice, also has a BIG mouth and let her opinions flow. "I give a different show every evening. I'm not like OTHERS who sing the SAME set show after show." No prize for correctly guessing who that barb was directed at. This comment had me whooping with laughter...." I LOVE Diana and Cindy, I really DO!" "Diana thought she was ADDING to her group when she was TAKING away from mine, but she DIDN'T affect us at all!" Not to stir up the sh_t pot, but in Montreal in 1967, as a 16 year with the President of the Supremes Fan Club at the Bonaventure Hotel, where we anxiously awaited for Diana to cross the lobby, we saw her and her entourage leave the dining room to the elevator. Somehow, we slipped in unnoticed behind her party. Just as we about to say something, someone read her a review of one of their two concerts at the Expo Theatre from the previous evening. It was one of Cindy's first stage appearances, but she was not introduced as a new member, and most people didn't realize the switch as yet. Somehow the reviewer mentioned this fact and Patti LaBelle's name. Diana exploded with an expletive that shocked me! Why did they mention that _ _ _ _ _ '_ name in MY review! The Supremes' huge hit was "Reflections" that summer , and this inside peek to my idol gave me a lot to reflect upon. Heavy is the head that wears the crown of "Diva."


Sounds just like the Diane I know...........

[captainjames]

Patti Labelle and The Bluebelles were in no way a comparison to The Supremes. Odd that Patti would make a comment that Diana thought she was taking away from the Bluebells. In all honesty I don't think Diana thought once about taking anything away from the Bluebells at any given time.

[marv2]

Patti Labelle and The Bluebelles were in no way a comparison to The Supremes. Odd that Patti would make a comment that Diana thought she was taking away from the Bluebells. In all honesty I don't think Diana thought once about taking anything away from the Bluebells at any given time.

You would say that. I think it was much worse for Diana Ross to refer to Ms. LaBelle as a bitch and to do so in front of children! Where's the class in that?

[Sharpmoves]

Having a Canadian Cable TV selection that is fantastic, but not necessarily geared to giving me a heads up when soul/r&b/ programming of interest to me is being aired, if I don't read about it here, I can miss out. I managed to catch all of the "Oprah Live at the Apollo "series except for the Gladys Knight show. As a subsequence, I discovered the Masterclass series and taped the Smokey Robinson and Patti LaBelle episodes. Frankly I was disappointed that Patti's show didn't feature more performance clips, and seemed to have way too many commercial breaks. Patti, known for her BIG voice, also has a BIG mouth and let her opinions flow. "I give a different show every evening. I'm not like OTHERS who sing the SAME set show after show." No prize for correctly guessing who that barb was directed at. This comment had me whooping with laughter...." I LOVE Diana and Cindy, I really DO!" "Diana thought she was ADDING to her group when she was TAKING away from mine, but she DIDN'T affect us at all!" Not to stir up the sh_t pot, but in Montreal in 1967, as a 16 year with the President of the Supremes Fan Club at the Bonaventure Hotel, where we anxiously awaited for Diana to cross the lobby, we saw her and her entourage leave the dining room to the elevator. Somehow, we slipped in unnoticed behind her party. Just as we about to say something, someone read Diana a review of one of their two concerts at the Expo Theatre from the previous evening. It was one of Cindy's first stage appearances, but she was not introduced as a new member, and most people didn't realize the switch as yet. Somehow the reviewer mentioned this fact and Patti LaBelle's name. Diana exploded with an expletive that shocked me! Why did they mention that _ _ _ _ _ '_ name in MY review! The Supremes' huge hit was "Reflections" that summer , and this inside peek to my idol gave me a lot to reflect upon. Heavy is the head that wears the crown of "Diva."

It's actually "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" - from Shakespeare's Henry IV. And being uneasy is what this is surely about. The pressure of the music business, and being judged all the time, I'm sure makes stars of this magnitude uneasy. Diane had no real reason to fear, and probably should not have called Patti that word, but in the heat of the moment, I think we have to cut her a little slack, don't we?

[Mark Desjardines]

To be fair to Diana, she was so involved in having the review in the morning edition of the english language Montreal Star being read to her that she took no notice of us two standing behind her. Though I was 16 and Eric as 17, we surely didn't regard ourselves as "boys." To think that my parents let me go off by myself to Montreal for three days at that period of time was in a way a reflection of the innocence of the time. Yes I did encounter a situation that could have ended in letchery, but somehow the gods smiled down on me and I returned home to Ottawa unharmed, my virtue intact, and did have my review of the two Supremes concerts I attended published in the Ottawa Citizen teen page section, which has been discussed much earlier on this site.

[Sharpmoves]

Having a Canadian Cable TV selection that is fantastic, but not necessarily geared to giving me a heads up when soul/r&b/ programming of interest to me is being aired, if I don't read about it here, I can miss out. I managed to catch all of the "Oprah Live at the Apollo "series except for the Gladys Knight show. As a subsequence, I discovered the Masterclass series and taped the Smokey Robinson and Patti LaBelle episodes. Frankly I was disappointed that Patti's show didn't feature more performance clips, and seemed to have way too many commercial breaks. Patti, known for her BIG voice, also has a BIG mouth and let her opinions flow. "I give a different show every evening. I'm not like OTHERS who sing the SAME set show after show." No prize for correctly guessing who that barb was directed at. This comment had me whooping with laughter...." I LOVE Diana and Cindy, I really DO!" "Diana thought she was ADDING to her group when she was TAKING away from mine, but she DIDN'T affect us at all!" Not to stir up the sh_t pot, but in Montreal in 1967, as a 16 year with the President of the Supremes Fan Club at the Bonaventure Hotel, where we anxiously awaited for Diana to cross the lobby, we saw her and her entourage leave the dining room to the elevator. Somehow, we slipped in unnoticed behind her party. Just as we about to say something, someone read Diana a review of one of their two concerts at the Expo Theatre from the previous evening. It was one of Cindy's first stage appearances, but she was not introduced as a new member, and most people didn't realize the switch as yet. Somehow the reviewer mentioned this fact and Patti LaBelle's name. Diana exploded with an expletive that shocked me! Why did they mention that _ _ _ _ _ '_ name in MY review! The Supremes' huge hit was "Reflections" that summer , and this inside peek to my idol gave me a lot to reflect upon. Heavy is the head that wears the crown of "Diva."

It's actually "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" - from Shakespeare's Henry IV. And being uneasy is what this is surely about. The pressure of the music business, and being judged all the time, I'm sure makes stars of this magnitude uneasy. Diane had no real reason to fear, and probably should not have called Patti that word, but in the heat of the moment, after all the turmoil over the exit of Flo from the group, I think we have to cut her a little slack, don't we?

[captainjames]

Again Diana had nothing to fear from the Bluebells and up until then I barely knew they existed until Cindy was actually identified as a former member. There was probably more tension and fire going on between the groups than we will ever know especially since Patti quit talking to Cindy for years.

[captainjames]

How ironic that you would say this Mark and how you brought back memories for me of when I jumped out of my bedroom window at 14 years of age to go see an Ike and Tina concert. " Bold Soul Sister" I think was their current hit at the time and I thought Tina Turner was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. OMG I can remember actually talking to them [[or at least Ike) after the concert. Tina never said a word and just stood there in a brown suede coat, suede dress and hat and suede boots.


To be fair to Diana, she was so involved in having the review in the morning edition of the english language Montreal Star being read to her that she took no notice of us two standing behind her. Though I was 16 and Eric as 17, we surely didn't regard ourselves as "boys." To think that my parents let me go off by myself to Montreal for three days at that period of time was in a way a reflection of the innocence of the time. Yes I did encounter a situation that could have ended in letchery, but somehow the gods smiled down on me and I returned home to Ottawa unharmed, my virtue intact, and did have my review of the two Supremes concerts I attended published in the Ottawa Citizen teen page section, which has been discussed much earlier on this site.

[luke]

I don't think the point is Diana had nothing to fear though the Blubelles were the sweethearts of the Apollo. I think the point is her behavior.

[marv2]

To be fair to Diana, she was so involved in having the review in the morning edition of the english language Montreal Star being read to her that she took no notice of us two standing behind her. Though I was 16 and Eric as 17, we surely didn't regard ourselves as "boys." To think that my parents let me go off by myself to Montreal for three days at that period of time was in a way a reflection of the innocence of the time. Yes I did encounter a situation that could have ended in letchery, but somehow the gods smiled down on me and I returned home to Ottawa unharmed, my virtue intact, and did have my review of the two Supremes concerts I attended published in the Ottawa Citizen teen page section, which has been discussed much earlier on this site.

Mark you have some of the best stories and recollections on the forum and I thank you for being always willing to share them. I wished I could share more, but some things are just private.

[marv2]

I don't think the point is Diana had nothing to fear though the Blubelles were the sweethearts of the Apollo. I think the point is her behavior.

It is always about her behavior which is why she has so few friends in or out of the business.

[Mark Desjardines]

Captainjames, I have some memories of Ike & Tina Turner to share with you at some other time. But for now, another few memories came back to me about that elevator encounter with Diana. In an earlier post here I recalled a press conference I was able to enter and having a magical moment with Diana during a radio DJ interview. She was dressed pretty hip as I recall. If my memory serves me right one of the articles in the english Montreal press was Diana being presented with a "key to the city" by Mayor Jean Drapeau. He became famous years later with his famous quote, "Hosting the Olympics in Montreal will incur no deficit and is as impossible as a man having a baby!" We all know that by hosting the 1976 Olympics Montreal was nearly bankrupted and the political cartoonists of the day had a field day depicting a very pregnant Drapeau. Now as my memory of events kicks in, Diana was wearing a very elaborate dark blue gown, and her wig was very lacquered, the overall effect making her look much older and in my mind darker skinned than from photos at the time. It was the middle of August, very muggy in Montreal and she seemed uncomfortable. She may have even just returned from City Hall from the meeting with the mayor. The other Supremes were not there for sure. I now am so intrigued by this flood of memories I want to go to the Vancouver library and seek out the microfilm reels for the Montreal Star that I know are in the collection. As I have time I will post what I find.

[marv2]

Captainjames, I have some memories of Ike & Tina Turner to share with you at some other time. But for now, another few memories came back to me about that elevator encounter with Diana. In an earlier post here I recalled a press conference I was able to enter and having a magical moment with Diana during a radio DJ interview. She was dressed pretty hip as I recall. If my memory serves me right one of the articles in the english Montreal press was Diana being presented with a "key to the city" by Mayor Jean Drapeau. He became famous years later with his famous quote, "Hosting the Olympics in Montreal will incur no deficit and is as impossible as a man having a baby!" We all know that by hosting the 1976 Olympics Montreal was nearly bankrupted and the political cartoonists of the day had a field day depicting a very pregnant Drapeau. Now as my memory of events kicks in, Diana was wearing a very elaborate dark blue gown, and her wig was very lacquered, the overall effect making her look much older and in my mind darker skinned than from photos at the time. It was the middle of August, very muggy in Montreal and she seemed uncomfortable. She may have even just returned from City Hall from the meeting with the mayor. The other Supremes were not there for sure. I now am so intrigued by this flood of memories I want to go to the Vancouver library and seek out the microfilm reels for the Montreal Star that I know are in the collection. As I have time I will post what I find.


Mark, please do. I'd to hear the whole story! I mean when you have time. Thanks.

[marv2]

I remember trying to get my brother to agree to us driving up to the Montreal Olympics. We were teenagers and I thought we could do just about anything. LOL!

[midnightman]

It seems with groups, there's always a bit of cattiness and competition. The Supremes may have been bigger but we have to understand, Diana was really driven to make sure she was the stand out and if other women dare stand a chance, be it Patti, Gladys or Martha, she was trying to prove something and, as marv said, she didn't care if anyone liked it or didn't but that's the price you pay to reach stardom, I guess. Of course that didn't stop the other women from becoming big time legends in their own right...

[detmotownguy]

It seems with groups, there's always a bit of cattiness and competition. The Supremes may have been bigger but we have to understand, Diana was really driven to make sure she was the stand out and if other women dare stand a chance, be it Patti, Gladys or Martha, she was trying to prove something and, as marv said, she didn't care if anyone liked it or didn't but that's the price you pay to reach stardom, I guess. Of course that didn't stop the other women from becoming big time legends in their own right...

Good point. Like you said Diane tried to be the stand out, but I suggest the other ladies you mention possess the same recognition today as Diane. I have seen all three ladies...Martha, Patti,and Gladys go beyond the call of duty as far as being fan friendly. it is a tough biz to be in esp. i liked how Diane took over her finances. The way those ladies will billed back for everything is something else. The Sups should have been millionaires by the mid 60's.

[arr&bee]

It's absolutly amazing how[diana]gets into these post,i thought this was about[patti and otis]??????

[luke]

Patti referred to both Diana and Cindy. And remember how supportive Patti was of Cindy being in Return To Love tour.

[marv2]

Patti referred to both Diana and Cindy. And remember how supportive Patti was of Cindy being in Return To Love tour.

She was very supportive and very vocal on behalf of both Mary and Cindy.

[marv2]

The roughest thing to hear is Patti describe the death of her sister and the making of the video "If You Ask Me To". I remember back in 1989 when I first saw and heard the story of that video.

[luke]

Oh yes I remember that. Marv do u remember the video when Miss Patti went off on stage about RTL?

[marv2]

Oh yes I remember that. Marv do u remember the video when Miss Patti went off on stage about RTL?

Yes, it was a live concert clip from her show at Robin in Dell in Philly. She talked about it onstage.

[captainjames]

Oh yes I remember that. Marv do u remember the video when Miss Patti went off on stage about RTL?

Oh yeah I remember that and then The Labelle tour bombed.

[captainjames]

We definitely need to share -
There are times I was in the right place at the right time.


Captainjames, I have some memories of Ike & Tina Turner to share with you at some other time. But for now, another few memories came back to me about that elevator encounter with Diana. In an earlier post here I recalled a press conference I was able to enter and having a magical moment with Diana during a radio DJ interview. She was dressed pretty hip as I recall. If my memory serves me right one of the articles in the english Montreal press was Diana being presented with a "key to the city" by Mayor Jean Drapeau. He became famous years later with his famous quote, "Hosting the Olympics in Montreal will incur no deficit and is as impossible as a man having a baby!" We all know that by hosting the 1976 Olympics Montreal was nearly bankrupted and the political cartoonists of the day had a field day depicting a very pregnant Drapeau. Now as my memory of events kicks in, Diana was wearing a very elaborate dark blue gown, and her wig was very lacquered, the overall effect making her look much older and in my mind darker skinned than from photos at the time. It was the middle of August, very muggy in Montreal and she seemed uncomfortable. She may have even just returned from City Hall from the meeting with the mayor. The other Supremes were not there for sure. I now am so intrigued by this flood of memories I want to go to the Vancouver library and seek out the microfilm reels for the Montreal Star that I know are in the collection. As I have time I will post what I find.

[captainjames]

Something tells me Otis is just as happy he did not marry Patti.

[marv2]

Something tells me Otis is just as happy he did not marry Patti.

Relax and go have a piece of Patti Pie! LOL!!!

[midnightman]

The roughest thing to hear is Patti describe the death of her sister and the making of the video "If You Ask Me To". I remember back in 1989 when I first saw and heard the story of that video.

When she tells it, it's still painful to listen to no matter how many years and you can see Patti really loved her...

[RossHolloway]

That was a fascinating article. I had no idea that Patti and Otis ever dated back in the day.

[marv2]

When she tells it, it's still painful to listen to no matter how many years and you can see Patti really loved her...

It is really sad to hear. I remember when I first saw that video for the song from the Bond film. I knew it was different and that something was wrong. She was really crying, now we know why.

[marv2]

That was a fascinating article. I had no idea that Patti and Otis ever dated back in the day.

You should read Mary's book. That's where I first heard about it!

[midnightman]

It is really sad to hear. I remember when I first saw that video for the song from the Bond film. I knew it was different and that something was wrong. She was really crying, now we know why.

Yeah... when I first saw the video, that's what confused me at first: "why was she crying? I thought she was singing about a lover." So when I read that bit about how she had to film the video after burying her, the tears made sense!

[marv2]

Yeah... when I first saw the video, that's what confused me at first: "why was she crying? I thought she was singing about a lover." So when I read that bit about how she had to film the video after burying her, the tears made sense!

and you saw how she looked and dressed? There was some deep mourning going on there!

[midnightman]

and you saw how she looked and dressed? There was some deep mourning going on there!

Yep. In all black. It was really appropriate... Patti said she went through a depression thinking she was gonna be "next"...

[marv2]

Yep. In all black. It was really appropriate... Patti said she went through a depression thinking she was gonna be "next"...

Well it had to have been hard. Aretha went through the same thing. I was at her Christmas concert in Detroit later that year [[1989) and her brother Cecil was with her. A few weeks later he was gone!

[arr&bee]

According to otis,he and patti parted because of thier careers.

[midnightman]

Well it had to have been hard. Aretha went through the same thing. I was at her Christmas concert in Detroit later that year [[1989) and her brother Cecil was with her. A few weeks later he was gone!

Didn't he die a day after Christmas? I know her sister Carolyn died a year before.

[marv2]

Didn't he die a day after Christmas? I know her sister Carolyn died a year before.
You know , I think it was that week. I just remember being shocked when I heard it on local Detroit tv news and the seeing it on the front page of the Detroit Free Press. I mean we were all there at the show, Aretha was singing her heart out. I saw him, but did not get a chance to speak to him.

[marv2]

Hey midnightman, here's a little bit about the story I just found:

https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8153731.html

[midnightman]

Thanks Marv, says I have to subscribe to read the full text lol

Damn, only 49???

[marv2]

Thanks Marv, says I have to subscribe to read the full text lol

Damn, only 49???

Yes he was only 49 years old! You have to understand the type of life some dudes from Detroit lived....................fast lane all the way. About a year and a half ago a guy I grew up with, played basketball on the playground with and in school had 3 successive heart attacks with the 3rd one ending everything for him at 50! He had just turned fifty, but he lived pretty fast is about all I can say.

[midnightman]

^ Wow! Three heart attacks?!

Yeah I know, Mr. Franklin lived the high life being Aretha's brother and manager and seeing all the "desserts" they had to offer despite him being a minister himself.