Soul Fixin'

LaBelle Reunion

Patti, Nona, and Sarah have reunited to record their first album in more than 30 years, inspired by the recording of a tribute song to Rosa Parks in 2006. The recordings should wrap up next month and the album is expected to be released in the fall of 2008. The untitled album is being produced by Lenny Kravitz and the legendary songwriting team of Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff. The album contains a mixture of energized uptempo songs and heart-wrenching ballads. Nona said the group was able to "pull together as sisters and 'Labelle-ize'the music and the vibe and the spiritual side of what we do like nobody else on the planet." A tour to support the new album is planned, LaBelle's live performance has been cited as the groups greatest dynamic. Patti LaBelle, one who is never short for words, summed it all up "I think all you gotta say is 'we're here.' We're like that caged bird. If you love it, you open the door and let it fly because you know it's going to come back stronger. Well, we're back, baby. Anyone that knows Labelle knows we don't know how to hold anything back."

Soul Fixin'

Architects of Philly Soul to be Inducted Into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the architects of Philly Soul will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10. The pair launched Philly International Records in 1971 and ushered in an era of elaborate instrumentals and vocal arrangements. The trademarks of Philly soul, lush buoyant strings and horns, smooth group harmonies, danceable rhythms and smoldering ballads were evident in Gamble and Huff penned songs such as "Wake Up Everybody", "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" , "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now","Don't Leave Me This Way", "Love, Need And Want You", "Close The Door", "Cry Together", and "Message In Our Music", to name a few.