Nona Hendryx was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on Oct. 9, 1944. Hendryx is known for being a part of the singing group LaBelle, which was famous for the hit song "Lady Marmalade."
Hendryx dropped out of the group to become a solo artist in the late '80s. In 1987, she had her biggest commercial success with the single “Why Should I Cry?”
Hendryx is a distant cousin to the late Jimi Hendrix. 
More recently, LaBelle reunited to release Back to Now on Verve in 2008. Hendryx also contributed to the soundtrack for the movie Precious. She’s also been a gay rights activist for many years.

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(Photo: David Corio/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)