Winner in You

AMG Review of Winner in You

Ron Wynn
All Music Guide

Patti LaBelle enjoyed the biggest hit of her solo career when she switched labels from Philadelphia International to MCA. None of her albums had consistently clicked since she'd gone solo in 1977, but LaBelle's 1986 MCA debut topped the pop album charts, anchored by the huge hit "On My Own." The duet with Michael McDonald dominated both the pop and R&B scenes, staying atop the R&B charts for four weeks and giving LaBelle her first number one pop single as a solo artist. She even earned a second Top 40 hit with "Oh, People," even though there was another fine single on the LP, "Kiss Away the Pain," that was ignored. Still, this album gave LaBelle the elusive solo stardom she'd sought since 1977.