Patti LaBelle encountered another lyrics mishap at the weekend’s Bet Awards when she paid tribute to the late Tina Turner, singing her “The Best” music at a stage performance.
LaBelle took the stage wearing a shimmering black dress to give her best of the classic hit. Unfortunately, the 79-year-old lagged behind as the music played on, and moments later said; “Oh Lord! I can’t see the words. I’m trying y’all,” before jumping into the chorus accompanied by an obligatory choir.
While Patti LaBelle’s representatives would blame the section she, claiming it blocked her view to the teleprompter, it did not stop the troll that followed.
“I’m tired of Patti not showing up with her reading glasses”, a comment said.
Music historian Naima Cochranequestioned, “You do a whole hip hop-themed show and then do a Tina Turner tribute with an adult contemporary mid-tempo that didn’t even chart at R&B radio???”
While others wondered why someone else wasn’t selected to perform the tribute to the late Queen of Rock ‘N’ Roll.
It was not the first time that Patti LaBelle would have trouble with her lyrics during a stage performance.
During the “This Christmas” performance at the 1996 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, she had another live lyrics mishap when her backup singers did not show up.
Turner died at her homeafter a long illness, according to her publicist Bernard Doherty. The 83-year-old battled many ill health including a stroke in 2013, intestinal cancer in 2016, and a kidney transplant in 2017.
Turner dominated not only the music industry during her time. She also appeared in movies and shows such as The Who’s rock opera “Tommy” in 1975 and starred with Mel Gibson in “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” in 1985.
