Patti LaBelle fan shows off her collection on the singer’s 80th birthday

DAPHNE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — Music legend Patti LaBelle turns 80 years old on May 24.

As fans around the world celebrate her milestone birthday, we are meeting a Daphne woman who believes she may be the superstar’s biggest admirer.

“She has two Grammys,” Dorothy Johnson said. “She has seven NAACP Awards. She’s an entrepreneur. She has six books that also made New York bestsellers, and she just came out with her pancake mix.”

Johnson is arguably the biggest Patti LaBelle fan in Baldwin County, and according to her, maybe the entire state of Alabama.

“I don’t know any other fans that’s in the fan club from Alabama,” Johnson explained.

During our visit, Johnson wore a handmade dress with pictures of LaBelle all over, and we took a deep dive into her fandom. So far, she told us she’s been to 126 concerts.

“It’s kind of like my habit. I don’t smoke or drink or drugs, so if I can go buy me a Patti LaBelle ticket, this my habit,” says Johnson. “That’s my habit and right now, I’m in withdrawals until September.”

Johnson’s been front row at many shows and had experiences many fans probably can’t relate to, like the time Johnson got to wear LaBelle’s shoes when she kicked them off during a set.

Johnson first saw the Godmother of Soul perform on TV as a child in the 70s. Ever since, she has loved Patti LaBelle. In fact, she has a special way of showing her admiration inside her home.

An entire space is dedicated to her Patti collection. She started the room in 1995, little by little adding each piece. Scrapbooks, records, magazines, posters. If you look around long enough, you might even find an eyelash or two from the superstar.

You’d also find pictures of Johnson and her favorite singer. The two have met on several occasions. Johnson even earned herself a nickname from the Philadelphia native.

“She calls me Lady Pecan of Alabama,” Johnson explained. “Down South, we get a lot of pecans. So I started giving her shelled pecans in the bags, like a pound, and I put them in pretty wrap and put a nice ribbon on, that’s cascading down.”

That’s not all. Johnson’s made LaBelle quilts over the years and continues to pay tribute to the music icon in any way she can. Now, as LaBelle rings in 80 years, Lady Pecan of Alabama sends her “stage mom” warm birthday wishes and thanks for every amazing show.

“I call her mom when I shout across the stage like ‘I love you, Mom!’ She calls me, ‘I love you too, mama. And where you at?'” Johnson recalled. “I just want to tell her thanks for all the opportunities for me to come to her concerts and I’ll be with her until the end.”

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