Nona Hendryx started her musical career as part of the Bluebelles, which also featured Patti Labelle, Sarah Dash & Cindy Birdsong. The quartet hit in 1962 with “I Sold My Heart to the Junkman.” Eventually, trimmed to a trio, the group changed their name to Labelle and hit pay dirt with “Lady Marmalade” in 1974, before breaking up a few years later.
Since then, Hendryx has forged a solo career with many twists and turns. Her latest project sees her teamed with guitarist Gary Lucas for The World of Captain Beefheart, a tribute to one of the most underrated musicians of all time. We chat the origins of this project, what attracted her to Beefheart’s music, and the enduring legacy of “Lady Marmalade.”