Editing Labelle (section)

===Success===
In 1974, Wickham had the group signed to [[Epic Records]] where they recorded their breakthrough album, ''[[Nightbirds]]'', in New Orleans with producer [[Allen Toussaint]].<ref name="LarkinSM"/> While Hendryx eventually wrote the majority of the album, Epic released the [[Kenny Nolan]] and [[Bob Crewe]] composition "[[Lady Marmalade]]" as a single in August 1974.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> The song's rock-soul mixture helped the song to sell to listeners and by March 1975, the song had become the group's first number-one single, reaching the top of both the [[Billboard Hot 100]] and the R&B singles chart.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> It also became an international hit.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> The album also included the follow-up hit "[[What Can I Do for You?]]".

''Nightbirds'' eventually sold more than one million copies and was certified gold. During the album's promotion, the group became the first rock group to perform at the [[Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center)|Metropolitan Opera House]]. Wickham billed the October 6, 1974 performance "Wear Something Silver", to adapt to Labelle's own silver-colored space outfits, worn by Patti LaBelle. Building on their success, in the spring of 1975, Labelle became the first African-American vocal group to make the cover of ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. Later in 1975, the group released a critically acclaimed follow-up, ''[[Phoenix (Labelle album)|Phoenix]]''.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> That same year, the group contributed background vocals to several songs on Elton John's hit album, ''[[Rock of the Westies]]''. In 1976, they released their third album for Epic, ''[[Chameleon (Labelle album)|Chameleon]]'',<ref name="LarkinSM"/> which included the tracks "Get You Somebody New", "Isn't It a Shame" and "Who's Watching the Watcher".