Labelle -

Labelle was an American soul-funk trio best known for their 1974 hit “Lady Marmalade.” The three women — Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash — first grouped in The Blue Belles, a 1960s Motown-style quartet.

Labelle collaborated with Laura Nyro on the Columbia release Gonna Take a Miracle and made the 1971–72 Warner albums Labelle and Moon Shadow, followed by the 1973 MCA title Pressure Cookin’. Between 1974 and 1976, they released three albums on Epic: Nightbirds, Phoenix, and Chameleon.

Members: Sarah Dash, Nona Hendryx, Patti LaBelle

Background

The roots of Labelle trace to The Ordettes, a girl group co-founded in 1960 by Philly teenager Patricia “Patti” Holt. By late 1961, the lineup stabilized with two new members: Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx, who hailed from the Trenton, NJ, girl group The Del-Capris. Over the next year, they built a following on the Chitlin’ Circuit.

In 1962, they were joined by another Jerseyite, singer Cindy Birdsong. That year, they issued three singles on Philly-press Newtown. They were sent on a proxy tour for The Starlets — a contractually entangled act then charting with “I Sold My Heart to the Junkman” — under the incognito name the Blue Belles, which stuck. Amid the bad press and litigation, Newtown founder Harold Robinson gave Holt a stage name, Patti LaBelle.

Further Newton singles followed in 1963, including “Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” which both charted after being issued nationally on King and Parkway, respectively. In 1965, the Blue Belles served as the US opening act for the Rolling Stones and signed to Atlantic, which issued the single “All Or Nothing.” It features on their debut studio album, Over the Rainbow, released in 1966.

On their first UK tour, the Blue Belles were backed by Bluesology, which featured a young pianist named Reginald Dwight, later known as Elton John. In 1967, they charted with “Take Me for a Little While” from their second album, Dreamer. That year, Birdsong left to join The Supremes, where she replaced Florence Ballard. The remaining trio issued further Atlantic singles in 1968/69 but fell out of favor with the label.

In 1970, they hired talent manager Vicki Wickham, the former production assistant on the ’60s UK music program Ready Steady Go! The two parties met several years beforehand when the Blue Belles appeared on a taping. Wickham advised an image overhaul for the group to accompany their newfound grittier approach to music-making. She also suggested a name-change, from the ’60s pop-sounding Blue Belles to the ’70s one-word moniker Labelle. The new-look trio opened for The Who on a massive New York concert and signed to that band’s label, Track Record.

Labelle

Labelle released their self-titled debut album on September 8, 1971, on Warner Bros.

Labelle’s first album presents the trio emerging from their Blue Belles past into a rawer, soul-driven sound. The record mixes original material with covers, combining gospel-rooted intensity and funk-tinged arrangements across ballads, mid-tempo songs, and rhythmic R&B treatments.

Nona Hendryx wrote five of the album’s tracks, including collaborations with Patti LaBelle. The group interprets songs by Laura Nyro (“Time and Love”) and Carole King (“You’ve Got a Friend”), alongside Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses” and the Rudy Clark composition “If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody.” Sarah Dash co-wrote “Baby’s Out of Sight,” while LaBelle partnered with manager Armstead Edwards on “Time.”

Musical highlights include contemplative ballads like “Too Many Days” and “Heart Be Still,” layered with Hendryx and LaBelle’s interwoven vocal lines, while the album’s covers show the trio reshaping contemporary pop and rock through their gospel-tinged lens. Uptempo numbers like “Running Out of Fools/If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody” deliver assertive rhythm and angular phrasing, contrasting with the contoured melodies of “Time and Love” and “When the Sun Comes Shining Through (The Ladder).”

A1. “Morning Much Better” (4:00) – Schefrin, Zager; an assertive opener urging renewal and forward motion, with vocal phrasing that alternates between clipped urgency and elongated cries.
A2. “You’ve Got a Friend” (4:16) – King; the trio interprets King’s 1971 ballad of solidarity with layered harmonies, balancing intimacy with a gospel-tinged sweep.
A3. “Baby’s Out of Sight” (2:35) – Dash, Edwards; briskly paced, its lyric revels in newfound independence while the delivery sharpens the sense of release.
A4. “Time & Love” (3:45) – Nyro; contemplative in tone, carrying Nyro’s plea for patience and compassion through stacked vocals that shift between tenderness and urgency.
A5. “Too Many Days” (2:57) – Hendryx; a compact piece built on repetition and strain, its lyric confronting weariness and the pressure of passing time.

B1. “Running Out of Fools/If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody” (4:15) – Rogers, Ahlert/Clark; a medley pairing disillusion with ironic defiance, its shifting pace underscoring the tension between resignation and resolve.
B2. “Shades of Difference” (3:14) – Hendryx, LaBelle; the lyric frames individuality as both conflict and strength, set against clipped phrasing that swells into choral insistence.
B3. “Heart Be Still” (3:14) – Berns, Ragavoy; a gospel-infused plea that tempers desperation with restraint, marked by gradual vocal intensification.
B4. “Wild Horses” (3:03) – Jagger, Richards; the Sticky Fingers ballad reimagined with a soul-centered delivery, drawing out vulnerability from its lyric of longing and endurance.
B5. “Time” (3:48) – LaBelle, Edwards; a meditation on change and impermanence, set against organ undercurrents that frame Patti LaBelle’s shifting vocal textures.
B6. “When the Sun Comes Shining Through (The Ladder)” (3:56) – Submitted by ex-Manfred Mann vocalist Mike d’Abo; closes with a message of optimism, its layered harmonies climbing steadily upward in affirmation.

Sessions occurred at The Record Plant in New York City with producers Kit Lambert and Vicki Wickham, engineered by Jack Adams and assistant Jack Douglas.

Label features cover photography by Bob Gruen.

Warner Bros. promoted the album with the single “You’ve Got a Friend” (b/w “Morning Much Better”), leveraging the track’s simultaneous exposure via James Taylor’s hit version.

Laura Nyro and Labelle — Gonna Take a Miracle

On November 17, 1971, Columbia Records issued Gonna Take a Miracle, the fifth album by singer–songwriter Laura Nyro with accompaniment by Labelle.

Laura Nyro’s Gonna Take a Miracle pairs her piano and vocals with Labelle’s harmonized backing, delivering reinterpretations of 1950s and 1960s R&B and soul standards. The album opens with a street-corner doo-wop rendition of The Shirelles’ “I Met Him on a Sunday” and moves through Motown-inflected tracks like “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” and “Nowhere to Run,” Brill Building classics such as “Spanish Harlem,” and lesser-known soul gems like The Royalettes’ “It’s Gonna Take a Miracle.” Nyro balances playful, bass-driven swing numbers like “Monkey Time/Dancing in the Street” with ethereal ballads including “Desiree” and “The Wind,” allowing her expressive, contoured vocals to remain central while Labelle’s harmonies heighten the emotional depth and rhythmic precision of each song.

Labelle’s contributions provide constant texture and dialogue, particularly on call-and-response tracks and layered rounds that echo street-corner vocal traditions. The trio complements Nyro’s arrangements across the album, from the horn- and piano-infused drive of “Nowhere to Run” to the bright strings of the title track, creating a cohesive blend of Philadelphia soul, doo-wop, and gospel-inflected pop. This collaborative energy elevates both the lively tracks and the slower, starlit ballads, highlighting Nyro’s expressive range while allowing Labelle’s voices to shape the pacing, accentuate sharp rhythmic turns, and add richness to the album’s interpretation of classic R&B material.

Moon Shadow

Labelle released their second album, Moon Shadow, on June 10, 1972, on Warner Bros.

Moon Shadow extends Labelle’s shift into gritty, gospel-rooted soul. The album blends socially conscious originals with reworked rock and pop songs, featuring extended arrangements and prominent instrumental solos, marking the first project where Nona Hendryx assumes primary songwriting duties.

Hendryx wrote six tracks on the album, with Sarah Dash contributing “Peace With Yourself.” The trio interprets songs by The Who (“Won’t Get Fooled Again”) and Cat Stevens (“Moonshadow”), transforming the rock originals with layered vocals and funk-infused instrumentation.

Musically, the record opens with assertive rhythm and angular phrasing on “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” while mid-tempo originals like “Sunday’s News” and “If I Can’t Have You” emphasize LaBelle’s soaring vocals. The nine-minute title track showcases solo spots for the core band, including piano, clavinet, organ, guitar, bass, drums, congas, and vibraphone, while tracks like “I Believe That I’ve Finally Made It Home” highlight shared lead vocals and contoured interplay

A1. “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (4:45) – Pete Townshend; the trio reshapes the Who’s Next critique of revolution and power into a fervent call, with vocal urgency replacing the original’s staccato organ drive.
A2. “Sunday’s News” (3:30) – Hendryx; a sharp reflection on daily events, compressing social observation into clipped phrasing that rises in intensity.
A3. “If I Can’t Have You” (3:45) – Hendryx; Patti LaBelle’s lead channels obsession and need with surging vocal peaks, charting sharp turns that dramatize the lyric’s desperation.
A4. “Ain’t It Sad It’s All Over” (3:30) – Hendryx; mourns the end of a relationship with restrained verses that swell into anguished cries, contrasting resignation with urgency.
A5. “Peace With Yourself” (2:55) – Dash; Sarah Dash delivers a self-directed plea for inner balance, its phrasing steady and inward-facing against a measured pace.

B1. “Moonshadow” (9:24) – Stevens; expanded into an extended suite with solos and a spoken passage introducing each musician, transforming Stevens’ meditation on endurance into a communal showcase.
B2. “Touch Me All Over” (3:25) – Hendryx; an unabashed expression of sensual desire, its repetition presses intimacy forward with insistent rhythm.
B3. “I Believe That I’ve Finally Made It Home” (4:52) – Hendryx; all three members share lead, voicing belonging and recognition with alternating lines that converge into a unified declaration.
B4. “People Say They’re Changing” (3:20) – Hendryx; closes with wary reflection on shifting ideals, its phrasing edged with doubt yet lifted by layered vocal insistence.

Labelle comprises Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash on vocals. Additional musicians include Kenny Ascher, Leon Pendarvis, Maxayn Lewis, and Michael Powell on piano; Andre “Mandre” Lewis on organ and clavinet; David Spinozza, Marlo Henderson, and Dick Frank on guitar; Chuck Rainey and Russell George on bass; Kenneth “Spider Webb” Rice and Rick Marotta on drums; Maurice Saunders and Rick Marotta on congas; Harold Vick on soprano saxophone (#1); Buzzy Linhart on vibraphone (#4); with Larry Fallon arranging strings (#7).

Sessions occurred at The Record Plant in Los Angeles and New York City with producers Jack Adams and Vicki Wickham.

Warner Bros. promoted the album with the single “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (b/w “Sunday’s News”).

Pressure Cookin’

Labelle released their third album, Pressure Cookin’, on August 7, 1973, on RCA.

Pressure Cookin’ presents Labelle at a transitional point, with Nona Hendryx’s songwriting taking center stage. The album combines socially pointed lyrics with funk, jazz-fusion, and R&B textures, featuring extended medleys, bossa nova influences, and experimental arrangements.

Hendryx wrote six tracks. They also include a covers medley and a Stevie Wonder exclusive.

Musically, the album opens with the intense, rhythm-driven title track, followed by the politically charged medley with spoken word and shared vocals. “(Can I Speak to You Before You Go to) Hollywood” alternates lead parts between Dash, Hendryx, and LaBelle. Tracks like “Last Dance” highlight soulful balladry, and “Let Me See You in the Light” introduces a bossa nova-inspired texture with angular clavinet lines.

A1. “Pressure Cookin’” (3:00) – Hendryx; an urgent opener framing life’s mounting strain, its clipped phrasing pressing against a restless pace.
A2. “Medley: Something in the Air / The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” (5:50) – combines Thunderclap Newman’s 1969 hit with Gil Scott-Heron’s 1970 spoken-word composition; the trio splits lead vocals in a fusion of protest anthems, weaving satire and demand for change into a layered call to action.
A3. “Sunshine (Woke Me Up This Morning)” (3:18) – Hendryx; a concise piece balancing brightness and renewal, its phrasing tight and contoured.
A4. “(Can I Speak Before You Go To) Hollywood” (6:38) – Hendryx; rooted in their own history (Cindy Birdsong leaving the Bluebelles), the lyric addresses departure and betrayal, each member taking verses that build into a candid collective narrative.

B1. “Mr. Music Man” (4:05) – Hendryx; a direct address to the figure controlling access to audiences, alternating between plea and demand.
B2. “Goin’ On a Holiday” (3:21) – Hendryx; produced with Stevie Wonder, it celebrates escape with buoyant rhythm and elastic phrasing.
B3. “Let Me See You in the Light” (6:13) – Hendryx; bossa nova inflections shape its flow, as the lyric turns toward clarity and revelation.
B4. “Open Up Your Heart” (3:25) – Wonder; a call for compassion, its supple rhythm anchored by musicians from Philadelphia’s Buff and Harlem River Drive.
B5. “Last Dance” (4:15) – Hendryx; closes with a ballad of parting, Patti LaBelle’s vocal stretching across lines that balance tenderness and ache.

Labelle comprises Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash on vocals. Core musicians include Buzz Feiten, Eddie Martinez, Hank Redd on guitars; Leroi Conley on guitars and percussion; Andre Lewis on organ, electric piano, clavinet, bass, drums, and percussion; Luther Eaddy on organ; Carmine Rojas on bass; Larry Davis and Emry Thomas on drums; Daniel Ben Zebulon on percussion.

Sessions occurred at RCA Studio D, New York City with producers Vicki Wickham and an uncredited collaborator (Stevie Wonder) on “Goin’ On a Holiday,” and engineers Mike Moran and Tom Brown.

The album features artwork by Roger Williams and photography by Bob Gruen.

RCA promoted the album with no widely documented singles, though “Something in the Air/The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” became a live centerpiece.

Nightbirds

Labelle released their fourth album, Nightbirds, on September 13, 1974, on Epic.

Nightbirds merges funk, soul, and R&B with elements of glam and rock, showcasing the trio’s dynamic vocals and sharp social commentary. The album features the group’s most famous hit, “Lady Marmalade,” and represents Labelle’s first recording with Epic Records, produced by Allen Toussaint.

Nona Hendryx wrote five tracks, while outside writers include producer Allen Toussaint (“Don’t Bring Me Down,” “All Girl Band”) and three songwriting teams.

Musically, the album blends funk-driven tracks with ballads and experimental textures. The opening “Lady Marmalade” combines sultry French lyrics with contoured vocal lines. “Somebody Somewhere” and “Are You Lonely?” emphasize isolation and personal liberation over rhythmic intensity. “It Took a Long Time” leans gospel before transitioning to Toussaint’s funk on “Don’t Bring Me Down.” Side two moves from the altruistic statements of “What Can I Do for You?” to the contemplative “Nightbird,” psychedelic-inflected “Space Children,” and Nona Hendryx’s sensual “You Turn Me On.”

A1. “Lady Marmalade” (3:56) – Crewe/Nolan; dramatizes a sexual encounter in New Orleans, its French refrain translating to “Do you want to sleep with me tonight?”, delivered against brassy funk instrumentation.
A2. “Somebody Somewhere” (3:25) – Hendryx; urges connection across distance, with layered harmonies riding a clipped, syncopated pace.
A3. “Are You Lonely?” (3:12) – Hendryx; voices isolation and longing, framed by sharpened rhythms and vocal exchanges that heighten its urgency.
A4. “It Took a Long Time” (4:03) – Bloodworth/Brown/Crewe; a gospel-tinged ballad of endurance and reconciliation, its phrasing unfolding in gradual arcs.
A5. “Don’t Bring Me Down” (2:48) – Toussaint; casts defiance in taut funk form, with brisk rhythm and percussive horn stabs.

B1. “What Can I Do for You?” (4:02) – Batts/Ellison; a plea for solidarity and care, its humanist lyric supported by insistent rhythmic drive.
B2. “Nightbird” (3:09) – Hendryx; blends reflective imagery with intertwining vocals, its pacing steady yet subtly tense.
B3. “Space Children” (3:02) – Hendryx; psychedelic funk sketch envisioning cosmic unity, propelled by elastic rhythm and spiraling horn lines.
B4. “All Girl Band” (3:50) – Toussaint; celebratory funk declaration, spotlighting collective identity through punchy brass and vocal command.
B5. “You Turn Me On” (4:37) – Hendryx; closes the album with sensual imagery and surging vocal intensity, paced by insistent rhythm and expansive phrasing.

Core musicians include Allen Toussaint on keyboards, percussion, guitar, and arrangements; Art Neville on organ; George Porter Jr. and Walter Payton on bass; Leo Nocentelli and Rev. Edward Levone Batts on guitar; Smokey Johnson and Herman “Roscoe” Ernest III on drums; James “Budd” Ellison on piano; Earl Turbinton on alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet; Alvin Thomas and Lon Price on tenor saxophone and flute; Clyde Kerr Jr. and Steve Howard on trumpet; Lester Caliste on trombone; Carl Blouin on baritone saxophone; Clarence Ford on alto saxophone. Touring band members Jeffrey Shannon (drums), Hector Seda (bass), and Leslie “Chuggy” Carter (percussion) contributed arrangements.

Sessions occurred at Sea Saint Studios, New Orleans, Louisiana, with Allen Toussaint and Vicki Wickham producing and Ken Laxton engineering.

RCA promoted Nightbirds with the single “Lady Marmalade” (b/w “Space Children”), which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Soul Singles charts and topped the Canadian RPM chart. The follow-up single, “What Can I Do for You?” (b/w “Nightbird”), reached No. 48 on the Hot 100 and No. 8 on Hot Soul Singles. “Lady Marmalade” has been covered by All Saints and the Christina Aguilera/Mýa/Lil’ Kim/Pink quartet for the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack.

Labelle’s Nightbirds sold over a million copies and made them the first rock group to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House, with the October 6, 1974 show themed “Wear Something Silver” to match their metallic stage outfits. Building on this success, the group appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone and contributed background vocals to Elton John’s late 1975 release Rock of the Westies.

Phoenix

Labelle released their fifth album, Phoenix, on August 19, 1975, on Epic.

Phoenix continues Labelle’s exploration of funk and soul while adding spacy, orchestrated textures that push toward progressive funk. The album maintains the trio’s signature powerful vocals and features Nona Hendryx as the primary songwriter, with Allen Toussaint contributing keyboards and arrangements on select tracks.

Nona Hendryx wrote six tracks, while outside contributions include Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan (“Far As We Felt Like Goin'”) and two songs by Edward Levone Batts and James Budd Ellison: “Chances Go Round” and “Action Time.”

The album moves between dense, dramatic arrangements and funk-driven numbers. The opening title track, “Phoenix (The Amazing Flight of a Lone Star),” layers sweeping instrumentation under angular vocal lines. “Slow Burn” and “Black Holes in the Sky” emphasize textured, expansive rhythms. “Far As We Felt Like Goin'” revisits pop-funk conventions, while “Messin’ With My Mind” combines rhythmic drive with introspective lyrics. Side two balances spacy tracks like “Cosmic Dancer” with uptempo funk statements such as “Take the Night Off” and “Action Time.”

Tracklist
A1. “Phoenix (The Amazing Flight of a Lone Star)” (6:17) — Hendryx; expansive, orchestrated funk
A2. “Slow Burn” (3:32) — Hendryx
A3. “Black Holes in the Sky” (3:21) — Hendryx; dense, atmospheric textures
A4. “Good Intentions” (3:57) — Hendryx
A5. “Far As We Felt Like Goin’” (2:58) — Crewe/Nolan; pop-funk experiment in the vein of “Lady Marmalade”
B1. “Messin’ With My Mind” (4:36) — Hendryx; minor hit with introspective lyrics
B2. “Chances Go Round” (2:50) — Hendryx/Batts/Ellison; angular vocal turns over rhythmic layers
B3. “Cosmic Dancer” (5:49) — Hendryx; spacy, progressive funk textures
B4. “Take the Night Off” (3:38) — Hendryx
B5. “Action Time” (3:51) — Batts/Ellison with Hendryx; driving funk with layered vocal interplay

Core players include Edward Batts on guitar, Carmine Rojas on bass, James Ellison on keyboards, Larry Davis on drums, and Jeffrey Shannon on percussion. Additional contributors include George Porter Jr. (bass), Herman “Roscoe” Ernest III (drums), Leo Nocentelli, Steve Hughes, and Teddy Royal (guitar), Allen Toussaint (Fender Rhodes, arrangements), James Booker (organ), Carl Blouin (baritone sax), Jim Moore (tenor/alto saxophone, flute), Lon Price (tenor sax), Lester Caliste (trombone), John Longo (trumpet), and Steve Howard (trumpet/flugelhorn).

Sessions occurred at Sea Saint Studios, New Orleans, with Allen Toussaint and George Porter Jr. producing and Don Puluse and Ken Laxton engineering. Tom Huetis provided photography for the album.

Epic promoted Phoenix with the single “Messin’ With My Mind,” which reached minor chart positions in the U.S.

The album presents Labelle at their most ambitious to date, blending dense, orchestrated funk with Hendryx’s forward-looking songwriting and the trio’s commanding vocals. Tracks such as “Phoenix” and “Cosmic Dancer” highlight the group’s reach into progressive textures, while “Messin’ With My Mind” and “Chances Go Round” maintain rhythmic intensity and lyrical depth.

Chameleon

Labelle released their sixth album, Chameleon, on June 17, 1976, on Epic.

Chameleon expands Labelle’s sonic range, moving through funk, Latin rhythms, hard rock, doo-wop, and disco, while retaining the trio’s commanding vocal presence. Nona Hendryx wrote six of the eight tracks, shaping the album’s experimental and eclectic textures, while David Rubinson oversaw production with the group.

Nona Hendryx composed six tracks, while outside contributions include Joe Crane (“Get You Somebody New”) and Randy Edelman (“Isn’t It a Shame”). Hendryx’s arrangements involved James Ellison (piano, keyboards, synthesizer), Eddie Martinez (guitar), and Rev. Batts (keyboard/arrangements) on her compositions.

The album balances intense funk, dramatic balladry, and genre shifts. The opener, “Get You Somebody New,” blends disco-driven rhythm with psychedelic accents. “Come Into My Life” presents intimate, breathy vocals, while “Isn’t It a Shame” extends over eight minutes with piano and emotional layering. Funk and mysticism dominate “Gypsy Moths” and “A Man in a Trenchcoat (Voodoo),” where vocals shift between whispering and shouting. Rock textures appear on “Who’s Watching the Watcher?,” and the Latin-inflected “Chameleon” transitions smoothly into “Gypsy Moths.” The closing track, “Going Down Makes Me Shiver,” delivers sultry, sexually-charged energy with Nightbirds-style balladry.

A1. “Get You Somebody New” (6:10) – Crane; a disco-funk opener with psychedelic edges, where the lyric presses for renewal through desire and motion.
A2. “Come Into My Life” (6:44) – Hendryx; sung in breathy, intimate tones, the lyric frames love as both invitation and surrender, paced with lingering tension.
A3. “Isn’t It a Shame” (7:58) – Edelman; an expansive ballad built around Ellison’s piano, tracing the dissolution of love with layered harmonies that stretch grief into near-cathartic release.
A4. “Who’s Watching the Watcher?” (4:15) – Hendryx; adopts rock’s sharper edges, pairing pointed guitars with a lyric that questions authority and oversight.
A5. “Chameleon” (5:15) – Hendryx; fuses shifting Latin-inflected rhythm with vocal interplay, its lyric reflecting transformation and survival.

B1. “Gypsy Moths” (5:00) – Hendryx; hypnotic funk with Bayou shadings, where voices pivot from whisper to shout, embodying constant movement and unpredictability.
B2. “A Man in a Trenchcoat (Voodoo)” (7:49) – Hendryx; steeped in mystic imagery, its funk foundation allows for wide-ranging vocal turns from chant to cry.
B3. “Going Down Makes Me Shiver” (7:07) – Hendryx; a sensuous ballad laced with tension, closing the album by entwining physicality with spiritual release.

Labelle consists of Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash on vocals. Core players include James Ellison (piano, keyboards, synthesizer), Eddie Martinez, Ray Parker Jr., and Wah Wah Watson (guitar), Carmine Rojas (bass), James Gadson (drums, percussion), and José Chepitó Áreas and Leon Chancler (percussion). Additional contributors include David Rubinson and Tom Coster (synthesizer), Emilio Castillo and Lenny Pickett (tenor saxophone), Stephen Kupka (baritone saxophone), and Kurt McGettrick (bass saxophone).

Sessions occurred at Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco, with David Rubinson & Friends Inc. producing and Fred Catero and Rubinson engineering.

Epic promoted Chameleon with the singles “Get You Somebody New” and “Isn’t It a Shame.” “Get You Somebody New” peaked at #50 on the Pop charts, while “Isn’t It a Shame” reached #18 on the R&B charts. “Isn’t It a Shame” was later sampled by Nelly on “My Place” (featuring Jaheim), as well as by Lil B and Monica.

Chameleon showcases Labelle’s expansive range, alternating between dramatic funk, Latin inflections, rock textures, and expressive ballads. Tracks such as “Isn’t It a Shame” and “Gypsy Moths” highlight the group’s ability to combine vocal power with experimental arrangements, while the title track and “A Man in a Trenchcoat (Voodoo)” illustrate their command of rhythm and mysticism.

By 1976, Labelle faced internal tensions as each member pursued a different musical direction: Patti LaBelle favored soul, Nona Hendryx pushed toward funk rock, and Sarah Dash leaned toward disco. Following a violent onstage incident involving Hendryx in December, LaBelle urged the group to disband for everyone’s safety, and the trio formally ended their fourteen-year collaboration later that year.

Discography: