BORN PATRICIA HOLT IN PHILADELPHIA ON MAY 24, 1944, PATTI LABELLE GREW UP SINGING IN A LOCAL BAPTIST CHOIR, AND IN 1960 TEAMED WITH FRIEND CINDY BIRDSONG TO FORM A GROUP CALLED THE ORDETTES. A YEAR LATER, FOLLOWING THE ADDITIONS OF VOCALISTS NONA HENDRYX AND SARAH DASH, THE GROUP WAS RENAMED THE BLUE BELLES. WITH PRODUCER BOBBY MARTIN AT THE HELM, THEY SCORED A TOP 20 POP AND R&B HIT IN 1962 WITH THE SINGLE “I SOLD MY HEART TO THE JUNKMAN,” AND SUBSEQUENTLY HIT THE CHARTS IN 1964 WITH RENDITIONS OF “DANNY BOY” AND “YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE.”