R&B legend Patti LaBelle is living a life straight out of American Gigolo, the 1980 film about an emotionally unavailable high priced male escort.
The 71-year-young songstress, who revived her career selling sweet potato pies for Wal-Mart, is dating her drummer, 41-year-old Eric Seats.
The couple met after he was hired to be her drummer last year.
“She tried to keep it quiet, but everyone around her has figured things out now. She’s completely smitten with him,” a source told London’s Daily Mail tabloid.
LaBelle’s 42-year-old son, Zuri Edwards, is reportedly unhappy that his mother is dating a man younger than him.
Seats is known around the music industry for targeting rich older women. He reportedly loves them then leaves them. But Patti’s friends aren’t concerned that Seats might be an American gigolo.
“She hasn’t seemed this happy in years,” a source confided to the Daily Mail. “Patti was so happy he moved to Philly with her. She loves having him with her all the time. She even has a big portrait of the two of them up on her wall in her bedroom,” said the source.
Seats has toured with Stevie Wonder, Mary J Blige and Missy Elliott, in addition to producing songs for Destiny’s Child, Aaliyah, 702 and Tank.
