Nona Bernis Hendryx (born October 9, 1944) is an American vocalist, record producer, songwriter, musician, and author. Hendryx is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio Labelle, who had a hit with "

Lady Marmalade "Lady Marmalade" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan, originally for Nolan's disco group. The song is famous for the repeated refrain of " ''Voulez-vous coucher avec moi''?" in French as part of the chorus, a sexually suggestive line t ...

". Her music has ranged from

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

, and R&B to

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...

, new wave, and

new-age New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars conside ...

. She stated in an interview that her family's last name was originally spelled with an 'i' and that she is a distant cousin of guitarist

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

Biography

Early career

Hendryx was born in Trenton, New Jersey in 1944 where she met fellow New Jersey native

Sarah Dash Sarah Dash (August 18, 1945 – September 20, 2021) was an American singer and actress. She first appeared on the music scene as a member of Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles. Dash was later a member of Labelle, and worked as a singer, sess ...

and later met Philadelphia-born singer Patricia Holte (Patti LaBelle). After a short-lived tenure as a member of the Del-Capris, Hendryx and Dash formed a singing group with Holte (once the lead singer of a girl group in Philadelphia called The Ordettes). In 1961,

Cindy Birdsong Cynthia Ann Birdsong (born December 15, 1939) is an American singer who became famous as a member of The Supremes in 1967, when she replaced co-founding member Florence Ballard. Birdsong had previously been a member of Patti LaBelle & The Blueb ...

, from Camden, New Jersey, became the fourth member of the group, who became the Bluebelles and signed their first deal with Newtown Records. After the release of their debut hit, 1962's "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman", their name altered again to Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. Hendryx's husky

alto The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...

differed from Dash's sharp

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

, LaBelle's

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...

and Birdsong's second

. During this tenure, the group became known for their emotional live performances and their renditions of classic standards such as "

You'll Never Walk Alone "You'll Never Walk Alone" is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ''Carousel''. In the second act of the musical, Nettie Fowler, the cousin of the protagonist Julie Jordan, sings "You'll Never Walk Alone" to comfort and enco ...

", " Over The Rainbow", and "

Danny Boy "Danny Boy" is a ballad, written by English songwriter Frederic Weatherly in 1913, and set to the traditional Irish melody of "Londonderry Air". History In 1910, in Bath, Somerset, the English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly initial ...

". The group often found themselves competing against girl groups such as

The Chantels ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

Shirelles The Shirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves), Doris Coley (later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McFad ...

, and

The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...

. In 1967, Hendryx, LaBelle, and Dash were shocked to discover that Birdsong had secretly joined the Supremes after

Florence Ballard Florence Glenda Chapman (''née'' Ballard; June 30, 1943 – February 22, 1976) was an American singer and a founding member of the Motown vocal female group the Supremes. She sang on 16 top 40 singles with the group, including ten number-o ...

was ousted from the group by

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

. Different members of the group were in touch with Birdsong over the years. Birdsong's relationships with the Bluebelles healed and they came together again for the ceremony when the group won an R&B Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.

Labelle

For the next three years, the group struggled to compete against the changing musical landscape for which their

girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...

sound had fallen out of favor with popular audiences. In 1971, they moved to England, where they had a cult fan base, and on the advice of

Vicki Wickham Vicki Heather Wickham (born 1939) is an English talent manager, entertainment producer, and songwriter. Career Wickham was an assistant producer of the 1960s British television show ''Ready Steady Go!'', and was fashion consultant for the short ...

, changed their name to Labelle and ditched the dresses and bouffant wigs for jeans and

Afro The afro is a hair type created by natural growth of kinky hair, or specifically styled with chemical curling products by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair.Garland, Phyl"Is The Afro On Its Way Out?" ''Ebony'', February 1973. ...

s. Releasing transitional albums including 1971's '' Labelle'' and 1972's '' Moon Shadow'', the group recorded material that included sexual and political subject matter – unheard of for an all-female black group. The transition was hard for lead singer LaBelle, who was a fan of the group's early-era ballads, but she eventually gave in. Member Dash remained neutral throughout the tenure of the group. Shortly after releasing ''Labelle'', the group became the opening act for

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

, whose producer Kit Lambert had produced the group's Warner debut. They also opened for

Laura Nyro Laura Nyro ( ; born Laura Nigro; October 18, 1947 – April 8, 1997) was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums ''Eli and the Thirteenth Confession'' (1968 ...

during that same time and sang backup on her album ''

Gonna Take a Miracle ''Gonna Take a Miracle'' is the fifth album by New York City-born singer, songwriter and pianist Laura Nyro, with assistance by vocal trio Labelle. It was released on Columbia Records in November 1971, one year after its predecessor '' Christmas ...

''. Beginning with the ''Moon Shadow'' album, Hendryx became the chief songwriter for most of the group's records while LaBelle and Dash occasionally wrote their own material. After successfully opening for

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

during the group's American tour in 1973, the group released ''

Pressure Cookin' ''Pressure Cookin is the third album by American singing trio Labelle, released in August 1973. This release was their first and only for RCA Records, and was critically raved due to the songs that songwriter and member Nona Hendryx composed. Th ...

'', where they once again adopted a new look as "

glam rock Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...

, space-age divas". As a songwriter, Hendryx subsequently wrote powerful ballads ("You Turn Me On" and "Nightbird" from ''

Nightbirds ''Nightbirds'' is an album by the all-female singing group Labelle, released in 1974 on the Epic label. The album features the group's biggest hit, the song "Lady Marmalade," and it became their most successful album to date. Background Labe ...

'', "Going Down Makes Me Shiver" from Labelle's final album, ''

Chameleon Chameleons or chamaeleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 202 species described as of June 2015. The members of this family are best known for their distinct range of colors, bein ...

''), and a wealth of more uptempo numbers ("Space Children," "Messin' with My Mind," "Gypsy Moths," and "Who's Watching the Watcher"). Her themes were unconventional, diverse, and often experimental. Her composition "A Man in a Trenchcoat (Voodoo)" from ''Chameleon'' also marked Hendryx's first time singing lead vocal on an album. In 1974, the group hit gold with the release of ''

'' following the release of the smash hit "

". In her memoir ''Don't Block the Blessings'', Labelle frontwoman

Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman. LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul". She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...

attributed the band's 1976 breakup to musical and personal tensions within the group. Labelle, Dash, and Hendryx all embarked on solo careers; Wickham stayed on with Hendryx to manage her solo career.

Solo career

In 1977, Hendryx released her first solo album, a self-titled collection. A blend of soul and hard rock, it contained notable tracks such as "Winning" (later recorded by

Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer Boats * Santana 20, an American sailboat design by W. D. Sch ...

) and the ballad "Leaving Here Today". It quickly disappeared from the shelves, and Hendryx was dropped from Epic. Subsequently, she recorded four singles for Arista (London), which also did not achieve chart success. She did find success doing session work during this period, most notably providing background vocals for

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talkin ...

and touring with them, appearing first at the major

Heatwave A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in th ...

festival in August 1980. She contributed the song "Checkmate" on

Dusty Springfield Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, Pop music, p ...

's album ''

It Begins Again ''It Begins Again'' is the tenth studio album recorded by Dusty Springfield and the ninth released. Recorded during the middle of 1977, ''It Begins Again'' was her first completed and released album since '' Cameo'' five years earlier. Two of ...

'' in 1978 (the first of Springfield's multiple attempts at a comeback). In the early 1980s, Hendryx fronted her own progressive

art rock Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an art ...

group, Zero Cool, which included guitarist Naux (China Shop, Richard Hell), bassist

Michael Allison Michael Allison (August 7, 1958 – January 9, 2020), who recorded under the name Darshan Ambient, was an American musician and vocalist known for his ambient electronic music. Life and career Allison attended high school in Modesto, Califo ...

(Darshan Ambient), guitarist Kevin Fullen and drummer Jimmy Allington. Simultaneously, she sang with experimental funk group

Material Material is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical and chemical properties, or on their geologi ...

, achieving a giant club hit with "Busting Out". She had two other major club hits soon after: a dance remake of

' "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart," and, in a lead vocal guest spot for the Cage, "Do What You Wanna Do". Material also produced her second album ''Nona'' in 1983. The hip, contemporary dance sound of this album proved to be more charts-compatible, with the

disco music Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric piano ...

times, and the single "Keep It Confidential" becoming a modest R&B hit written by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Kent, Ellen Foley, and a remix of "B-boys" finding major success on the dance charts. "Transformation" became a Hendryx staple, and later was covered by

Fierce Ruling Diva Fierce Ruling Diva is a Dutch house music duo from Amsterdam consisting of producers Jeroen Flamman and Jeff Porter. Biography In the early nineties they charted three songs on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, the most of successful of whi ...

. Another particularly noteworthy track on the album is the ballad "Design for Living," which featured guests

Laurie Anderson Laurel Philips Anderson (born June 5, 1947), known as Laurie Anderson, is an American avant-garde artist, composer, musician, and film director whose work spans performance art, pop music, and multimedia projects. Initially trained in violin and ...

, Gina Shock of

The Go-Go's The Go-Go's are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar and keyboar ...

Valerie Simpson Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, ...

Ashford & Simpson Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, ...

Tina Weymouth Martina Michèle Weymouth (born November 22, 1950) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and a founding member and bassist of the new wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club, which she co-founded with her husband, Tal ...

Tom Tom Club Tom Tom Club is an American new wave band founded in 1981 by husband-and-wife team Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth and as a side project from Talking Heads. Their best known songs include " Wordy Rappinghood", " Genius of Love", and a cover ...

and Talking Heads, Nancy Wilson of

Heart The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide t ...

, and former bandmate

. In the mid-1980s, Hendryx was recruited by RCA to record songs for various soundtracks, including the theme for ''Moving Violations''; "I Sweat (Going Through the Motions)," a commercial hit for Hendryx from the

Jamie Lee Curtis Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress, producer, children's author, and activist. She came to prominence with her portrayal of Lt. Barbara Duran on the ABC sitcom '' Operation Petticoat'' (1977–78). In 1978, she m ...

film '' Perfect''; and "Transparent" from the

Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer. He rose to fame on the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. Murphy has als ...

vehicle, ''

Coming to America ''Coming to America'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by John Landis and based on a story originally created by Eddie Murphy, who also stars in the lead role. The film also co-stars Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Shari Head ...

''. Her album '' The Art of Defense'' was released in 1984. In 1985, Hendryx wrote and recorded "Rock This House" with

Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...

from her album ''The Heat''. The song was nominated for a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

. The same year, the

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

broadcast of the video "I Need Love" co-written by Jean Beauvoir, stirred some controversy for featuring

drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part o ...

s. As a result, it quickly was removed from MTV's playlist. In the same year, she also took part in the

Artists United Against Apartheid Artists United Against Apartheid was a 1985 protest group founded by activist and performer Steven Van Zandt and record producer Arthur Baker to protest against apartheid in South Africa. The group produced the song " Sun City" and the album ' ...

project with the song Sun City, recorded along with other artists

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...

Little Steven Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin ...

Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...

from U2,

Eddie Kendricks Edward James Kendrick (December 17, 1939 – October 5, 1992), better known as Eddie Kendricks, was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group the Temptatio ...

Hall & Oates Daryl Hall and John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, are an American pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia in 1970. Daryl Hall is generally the lead vocalist; John Oates primarily plays electric guitar and provides backing vocals. The two ...

Bobby Womack Robert Dwayne Womack (; March 4, 1944 – June 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Starting in the early 1950s as the lead singer of his family musical group the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guit ...

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. ...

and many others. This was one of the greatest and strongest protest songs against South Africa's Apartheid during those days. Her biggest commercial success came with 1987's single "Why Should I Cry?", a top 5 R&B hit which also reached No. 58 on the Billboard 100. The accompanying album, ''Female Trouble'', boasted an impressive list of contributors, including

Dan Hartman Daniel Earl Hartman (December 8, 1950 – March 22, 1994) was an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Among songs he wrote and recorded were " Free Ride" as a member of the Edgar Winter Group, and the solo hits ...

(who also served as a producer),

Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched ...

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

("Baby Go Go"), George Clinton,

David Van Tieghem David Van Tieghem (born April 21, 1955) is an American composer, percussionist and sound designer, best known for his philosophy of utilizing any available object as a percussion instrument and for his collaborations with the experimental artists ...

and

Mavis Staples Mavis Staples (born July 10, 1939) is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress, and civil rights activist. She rose to fame as a member of her family's band The Staple Singers (she is the last surviving member of that band). Durin ...

. Around this time, she became a member of the

Black Rock Coalition The Black Rock Coalition is a New York-based artists' collective and nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the creative freedom and works of black musicians. Founding and purpose The BRC was founded in 1985 in New York City by Vernon Reid ...

, founded by

Vernon Reid Vernon Alphonsus Reid (born 22 August 1958) is an English-born American guitarist and songwriter. Reid is the founder and primary songwriter of the rock band Living Colour, Reid was named No. 66 on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's 2003 list of the ...

Living Colour Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band currently consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish (who replaced Muzz Skillings in 1992). S ...

. Hendryx took a detour from commercial music with ''Skin Diver'', a

new age New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars conside ...

record produced with long-time

Tangerine Dream Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music band founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. The group has seen many personnel changes over the years, with Froese having been the only constant member until his death in January 2015. The best-known lineup ...

member Peter Baumann. The album generally was greeted with positive feedback from critics, but was commercially unsuccessful. The title track did attract some attention, as did "Women Who Fly", which later was covered by

Jefferson Starship Jefferson Starship is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1974 by a group of musicians including former members of Jefferson Airplane. Between 1974 and 1984, they released eight gold or platinum-selling studio albu ...

. In addition to the duet-album ''

You Have to Cry Sometime In Modern English, ''you'' is the second-person pronoun. It is grammatically plural, and was historically used only for the dative case, but in most modern dialects is used for all cases and numbers. History ''You'' comes from the Proto- ...

'' with

Billy Vera Billy Vera (born William Patrick McCord; May 28, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, author, and music historian. He has been a singer and songwriter since the 1960s, his most successful record being " At This Moment", a US number 1 ...

and a couple of compilation-only tracks, Hendryx has recorded more than five albums worth of music, but she has been unable to release any of it due to lack of interest from major and independent record labels. Her Epic, RCA and EMI albums have been out of print and only recently attracted the attention of specialist reissue

labels A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed dir ...

, but a greatest hits album titled ''Transformation'' was released in 1999 by

Razor & Tie Razor & Tie was an American entertainment company that consisted of a record label and a music publishing company. It was established in 1990 by Craig Balsam and Cliff Chenfeld. Based in New York City (with additional offices in Los Angeles an ...

. Her 1977 debut solo album was issued for the first time on CD by the T-Bird imprint of the UK reissue label Cherry Red in the fall of 2010. UK R&B reissue label Funky Town Grooves released ''The Heat'' on CD in late 2011, which included three bonus tracks. Funky Town Grooves announced plans to release both ''Nona'' and ''The Art of Defense'' in early 2012. Each CD is to include seven bonus tracks. Hendryx also dabbled in acting. She wrote and performed the theme for '' Landlord Blues'' (1987), while also having a small part in the film as attorney Sally Viscuso. She played herself in the late-1990s

Pam Grier Pamela Suzette Grier (born May 26, 1949) is an American actress and singer. Described by Quentin Tarantino as cinema's first female action star (although, there are some who dispute that claim and believe Cheng Pei-pei actually holds that distin ...

series ''Linc's'', and at the end of the show, accompanied herself on the piano for "Lift Every Voice". Most recently, she appeared in the third season of ''

The L Word ''The L Word'' is a television drama that aired on Showtime from January 18, 2004 to March 8, 2009. The series follows the lives of a group of lesbian and bisexual women who live in West Hollywood, California. The premise originated with Ilene ...

'', which closed with Grier, Hendryx, and the trio

BETTY Betty or Bettie is a name, a common diminutive for the names Bethany and Elizabeth. In Latin America, it is also a common diminutive for the given name Beatriz, the Spanish and Portuguese form of the Latin name Beatrix and the English name Beat ...

singing a cover of the Hendryx track "Transformation". Hendryx has been involved in many musical collaborations, both for her vocals and her songwriting. One of her early collaborations was with

Jerry Harrison Jeremiah Griffin Harrison (born February 21, 1949) is an American songwriter, musician, producer, and entrepreneur. He began his professional music career as a member of the cult band the Modern Lovers before becoming keyboardist and guitarist ...

's (

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talkin ...

) ''The Red and the Black'' album in 1981. In 1992, she recorded a duet with Billy Crawford, "Urgently in Love,". In 1998, she performed in the video of the rap hit "It's a Party" with

Bounty Killer Rodney Basil Price (born 12 June 1972), known as Bounty Killer, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. AllMusic describes him as "one of the most aggressive dancehall stars of the '90s, a street-tough rude boy with an unrepentant flair ...

. She has written songs for

and

Ultra Nate adopted by British military intelligence in June 1941 for wartime signals intelligence obtained by breaking high-level encrypted enemy radio and teleprinter communications at the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) at Bletchley Park. ' ...

. She has produced albums for

Lisa Lisa Lisa Velez (born January 15, 1967), better known by her stage name Lisa Lisa, is an American singer. She rose to fame in the 1980s as one-third of the band Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam. Early life According to Spin Magazine, ''Spin'' magazine, Velez ...

and

The Bush Tetras ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

. Other artists with whom she has recorded with over the years include

David Johansen David Roger Johansen (sometimes spelled ''David Jo Hansen''; born January 9, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal proto-punk band the New York Dolls. He is also known for his work under ...

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

, Cameo, Talking Heads (3 albums),

Garland Jeffreys Garland Jeffreys (born June 29, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter in rock and roll, reggae, blues, and soul music. Career Jeffreys is from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, of African American and Puerto Rican heritage. He majored in art hist ...

, Afrika Bambaata (performing a duet of "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" with

Boy George George Alan O'Dowd (born 14 June 1961), known professionally as Boy George, is an English singer, songwriter, DJ, author and mixed media artist. Best known for his soulful voice and his androgynous appearance, Boy George has been the lead singe ...

), Rough Trade,

Curtis Hairston Curtis Kinnard Hairston (October 10, 1961 – January 18, 1996) was an American soul/ funk vocalist, who had a number of top 75 hit singles in the UK and US, both as a solo artist and as a featured artist in the B. B. & Q. Band. Hairston's si ...

, and

Graham Parker Graham Thomas Parker (born 18 November 1950) is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the British band Graham Parker & the Rumour. Life and career Early career (1960s–1976) Parker was born in Hackney, East L ...

on "Soul Christmas". In the beginning of the current decade, Hendryx was asked to appear on two of

Paul Haslinger Paul Haslinger (born 11 December 1962) is an Austrian musician and composer. He lives and works in Los Angeles, California. Life and career Early life Haslinger was born and raised in Linz, Austria. He attended high school at Kollegium Aloisi ...

's albums. She sang lead vocals for two tracks "Higher Purpose" and "Beginning to End", featured on the soundtrack for the

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

series ''

Sleeper Cell A clandestine cell system is a method for organizing a group of people (such as resistance fighters, sleeper agents, mobsters, or terrorists) such that such people can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization (such as ...

''.

Later career and Labelle reunions

Hendryx still tours and has written music for the theatre, songs for the play with music ''

Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...

''.

Sandra St. Victor Sandra Kay Matthews, known professionally as Sandra St. Victor, is a Dallas-born singer-songwriter most known for her work as lead singer of The Family Stand and their international hit single "Ghetto Heaven". She attended the now famous Booke ...

(The Family Stand) recruited daughters of famous African American soul/blues icons – including

Lalah Hathaway Eulaulah Donyll "Lalah" Hathaway (born December 16, 1968) is an American singer. In 1990 Hathaway released her first album titled ''Lalah Hathaway''. After releasing another album, titled '' A Moment'' (1994), it debuted at number 34 on the To ...

, Simone,

Indira Khan __NOTOC__ Indira may refer to: People * Indira (name) Films and books * ''Indira'', an 1873 novella by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee * Indira (film), ''Indira'' (film), directed by Suhasini Manirathnam * Indira (1989 film), ''Indira'' (1989 film), a ...

, and

Leah McCrae Leah ''La'ya;'' from (; ) appears in the Hebrew Bible as one of the two wives of the Biblical patriarch Jacob. Leah was Jacob's first wife, and the older sister of his second (and favored) wife Rachel. She is the mother of Jacob's first son ...

– together with "spiritual daughters"

Joyce Kennedy Joyce Kennedy (1898–1943) was a British stage and film actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such ...

, Caron Wheeler, and Nona, to form the group Daughters of Soul, which has enjoyed much success, especially on the European tour circuit. Hendryx formed Rhythmbank, her own record label with Bob Banks, in 2005. They signed and released several EPs and albums, the Showtime series Sleeper Cell, and a gospel album by protégé Najiyah Threatt. Since the breakup of Labelle, Patti, Sarah, and Nona have reunited on occasion. These reunions include Patti LaBelle's "Live in New York" video, the dance hit "Turn It Out" from the soundtrack ''

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar ''To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar'' is a 1995 American road comedy film directed by Beeban Kidron and starring Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo as three New York City drag queens who embark on a road trip. ...

'' (1995), and two television specials. In January 2006, Labelle again reunited to record "Dear Rosa," a tribute to civil rights leader

Rosa Parks Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) was an American activist in the civil rights movement best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott. The United States Congress has honored her as "the ...

. Labelle also performed the theme song for the soundtrack for the film ''Preaching to the Choir'', with Nona being the composer of the film's soundtrack. In late 2008, Labelle released their comeback album ''

Back to Now ''Back to Now'' is the seventh and latest studio album by American female vocal group Labelle, released on October 21, 2008. The album is the group's first in over thirty years though they had sung on songs together on occasion. Labelle memb ...

'', and went on a successful concert tour that carried through the spring of 2009. Speaking in April 2009 to noted UK soul/R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning

Blues & Soul ''Blues & Soul'' is a British music magazine, established in 1967 by John Abbey. ''The Independent'' has noted ''Blues & Soul'' as being the equal of magazines such as '' NME'' and '' Q''. ''Billboard'' magazine has called ''Blues & Soul'' "a ...

, Hendryx discussed the background to Labelle reuniting for ''

'': "Well, there were lots of ongoing times when we'd discussed doing it. And a lot of it was really down to the fact that the fans were DEMANDING that we did it! But, rather than just going back and doing what we'd done in the past, we did want to be able to make an album of new music before coming back out together. And it was really once we'd recorded the song 'Dear Rosa', together that Patti finally became convinced that yes, we should make a new record and then go out and tour behind it. So I'd say basically our reunion was down to two things – pressure from the fans; plus Patti hearing a sound again that she loved and hadn't heard for many years." Hendryx has written a children's book titled ''The Brownies''. On May 27, 2010, Hendryx performed selections from ''Skindiver,'' a sci-fi musical she is co-writing with Charles Randolph-Wright. The surprise show was at Busboys and Poets in Washington DC and sponsored by Arena Stage. Hendryx & Wright presented two late-night staged readings of ''Skindiver'' at Arena Stage in 2011. BBY all 1

In September 2012, Hendryx's digital-only album, ''Mutatis Mutandis'', received a CD release. To promote the album, Hendryx appeared on the BBC's '' Later... with Jools Holland'' on 28 November 2012, where she performed two tracks, Let's Give Love A Try, and Temple Of Heaven (the latter only being available to watch online via

BBC iPlayer BBC iPlayer (stylised as iPLAYER or BBC iPLAYER) is a video on demand service from the BBC. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including mobile phones and tablets, personal computers and smart televisions. iPlayer services del ...

). In February 2013, she appeared as a special guest as part of The World of Captain Beefheart, a tribute concert arranged by Dutch radio presenter, Co de Kloet, and featuring

Gary Lucas Gary Lucas (born June 20, 1952) is an American guitarist/songwriter/composer who was a member of Captain Beefheart's band. He formed the band Gods and Monsters (band), Gods and Monsters in 1989. Lucas has released more than 50 albums to date a ...

with the 60 piece

Metropole Orchestra The Metropole Orkest (Metropole Orchestra) is a jazz and pop orchestra based in the Netherlands, and is the largest full-time ensemble of its kind in the world. A hybrid orchestra, it is a combination of jazz, big band and symphony orchestra. Com ...

. Hendryx released several singles in 2016, including a collaboration with American DJ and production duo, Soul Clap, which resulted in the single, Shine (This Is It). Shine (This Is It) was included on Soul Clap's self-titled album in October 2016, and an EP featuring different remixes of the track was released the following year. Hendryx also collaborated with guitarist,

, that same year, which resulted in the album, ''The World of Captain Beefheart'', a collection of cover versions of songs by avant-garde artist

Captain Beefheart Don Van Vliet (; born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as Th ...

. In February 2018, Hendryx released an EP, ''Keep Funkin'', which was produced by Soul Clap, and featured contributions from Nile Rogers and

Jason Miles Jason Miles (born June 30, 1951) is an American jazz keyboardist, composer, and record producer. Throughout his career, he has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, bassist Marcus Miller, and singer Luther Vandross, as well as maintaining a successfu ...

. Hendryx also contributed vocals to another track, "Peel Back", produced by FSQ, which was included as a bonus track on digital versions of the Keep Funkin EP (as well as FSQ's own album in 2020).

Personal life and activism

Hendryx has been living in the

Upper West Side The Upper West Side (UWS) is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Central Park on the east, the Hudson River on the west, West 59th Street to the south, and West 110th Street to the north. The Upper West ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

since the early 1970s. Her long-term partner is English talent manager

, and she discussed her

bisexuality Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whic ...

in an interview with '' The Advocate'' magazine. Hendryx is a gay-rights activist; in summer 2008, she joined

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...

on her

True Colors Tour The True Colors Tour was a headlining concert tour by Russian-German music producer Zedd, launched in support of his studio album '' True Colors''. The tour visited Asia, Europe, and North America from 6 August 2015 to 11 January 2016. Set l ...

, raising awareness of discrimination and the

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

community.Fitzharris, Dustin
"Belles of the Ball"
''Bay Windows'', 29 October 2008.

Discography

Albums

* ''Nona Hendryx'', 1977, Epic * ''Nona'', 1983,

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

(R&B No. 25, Pop No. 83) * '' The Art of Defense'', 1984, RCA (Pop No. 167) * ''The Heat'', 1985, RCA * ''Female Trouble'', 1987,

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...

(R&B No. 30, Pop No. 96) * ''Skin Diver'' 1989,

Private Music Private Music was an American independent record label founded in 1984 by musician Peter Baumann as a "home for instrumental music". Baumann signed Ravi Shankar, Yanni, Suzanne Ciani, Andy Summers, Patrick O'Hearn, Leo Kottke, and his former ...

* ''You Have to Cry Sometime'' (with

), 1992, Shanachie * ''It's Time'' (with Kahil El'Zabar's Ethnics), 2011, Katalyst Entertainment * ''Mutatis Mutandis'', 2012,

Righteous Babe Records Righteous Babe Records is an American independent record label that was created by folk singer Ani DiFranco in 1990 to release her own songs in lieu of being beholden to a mainstream record company. History Righteous Babe Records was originally ...

* ''The World of Captain Beefheart'' (with

), 2017,

Knitting Factory Records Knitting Factory Records is an independent American music label that is notable for promoting a variety of artists, including the music of deceased Nigerian political activist Fela Kuti. The label promotes a variety of music artists including A ...

Compilations

* ''Transformation – The Best of Nona Hendryx'' 1999,

* ''Rough & Tough'' 2001,

(Basically, a repackaged version of 1987's "Female Trouble" album with 2 extended/dance mixes added)

Singles and EPs

* "Everybody Wants to Be Somebody", 1977, Epic * "You're the Only One That I Ever Needed", 1979,

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertainmen ...

* "Love It", 1979, Arista * "Snakes Alive", 1979, Arista * "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart", 1980, Barclay * "Busting Out", 1980,

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...

* "Holiday", 1980,

* "Do What You Wanna Do", 1982, Metropolis * "Do What You Wanna Do", 1982, Hot Tracks Remix, 1983 * "Keep It Confidential", 1983, RCA (R&B No. 22, Club No. 25, Pop No. 91) (written by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Kent, Ellen Foley) * "Keep It Confidential", 1983, Hot Tracks Remix, 1983 (written by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Kent, Ellen Foley) * "Transformation", 1983, RCA (R&B No. 40) * "B-Boys", 1983, RCA (Club No. 25) * "I Sweat (Going Through The Motions)", 1984, RCA (R&B No. 28) * "To the Bone", 1984, RCA * "Heart of a Woman", 1984, RCA * "If Looks Could Kill (D.O.A.)", 1985, RCA (R&B No. 71) * "I Need Love", 1985, RCA (R&B No. 68) * "Baby Go-Go", 1987, EMI (R&B No. 60) * "Why Should I Cry?", 1987, EMI, (R&B No. 5, Club No. 6, Pop No. 58, UK No. 60) * "Winds of Change (Mandela to Mandela)", 1987, EMI * "SkinDiver", 1989, Private Music Records * "Women Who Fly", 1989, Private Music Records * "Urgently in Love", (with

Billy Crawford Billy Joe Ledesma Crawford (born May 16, 1982) is a Filipino actor, musician, singer, dancer, comedian and television host who released 7 studio albums and has had a number of singles, notably " Trackin'", " When You Think About Me" (a remake o ...

), 1992 * "It's a Party", (with

), 1998 * "The Ballad of Rush Limbaugh", 2010 * "The Tea Party", 2011 * "In Praise of Older Men (Father, Brother, Lover, Son)", 2016 * "Walk with Me", 2016 * "Shine (This Is It) (With Soul Clap)", 2016 * "Shine (This Is It) (With Soul Clap) (EP)", 2017 * "Keep Funkin'", 2018, Soul Clap Records

Film, television, theater, and radio

* ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'', 1978, Cameo in finale, ( MCA film) * ''Playback '78'', (interview) 1978, (radio) * ''Interchords'', (interview) 1978, (radio) * ''Heartbreakers'', 1984 (song "Transformation") * ''Landlord Blues'', 1987, composer (musical score), vocalist (title track), acting (as attorney "Sally Viscuso") (film) * ''Gospa'', (Composer) 1995, ( MCA film) * ''People: A Musical Celebration'', (composer) 1996, (television) * ''Blue'', (Composer) 2001, (theater) * ''

Preaching to the Choir ''Preaching to the Choir'' is a 2006 American musical comedy-drama film directed by Charles Randolph-Wright and starring Billoah Greene, Darien Sills-Evans, Novella Nelson, Janine Green, Rosa Arredondo, Eartha Kitt, Tichina Arnold and Adewale ...

, a.k.a. On the One, ''2006, (Composer) (film) * ''

'', season 3 episode 8 (as herself), 2006, (television) * ''

The Who's Tommy ''The Who's Tommy'' is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Pete Townshend and a book by Townshend and Des McAnuff. It is based on the 1969 rock opera '' Tommy'' by The Who. Productions The musical opened at La Jolla Playhouse in San Dieg ...

'' ("

The Acid Queen "The Acid Queen" is a song written by Pete Townshend and is the ninth song on the Who's rock opera album ''Tommy''. Townshend also sings the lead vocal. The song tells the attempts of Tommy's parents to try to cure him. They leave him with an ecc ...

"), 2008,

Ricardo Montalbán Theatre The Ricardo Montalbán Theatre (usually referred to as just The Montalbán) is a theater in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. History The theatre is located near the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, on Vine Street between Hollywood B ...

(theater)

References

External links

Official websiteNona Hendryx Interview at Allaboutjazz.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hendryx, Nona 1944 births Living people Musicians from Trenton, New Jersey 20th-century African-American women singers African-American rock musicians American contraltos American women pop singers American pop rock singers American women rock singers American funk singers American hard rock musicians American new-age musicians American new wave musicians American rhythm and blues singers American soul singers Bisexual musicians Bisexual women Women new wave singers Labelle members LGBT African Americans LGBT people from New Jersey LGBT rights activists from the United States LGBT singers from the United States LGBT songwriters Private Music artists Musicians from Philadelphia Singers from New Jersey Singers from Pennsylvania ZE Records artists 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American singers 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people 21st-century African-American women singers