Legendary R&B singer Patti LaBelle and iconic rapper Common will perform at the Democratic National Convention, which takes place at the United Center in Chicago on Tuesday (August 20), the Kamala Harris campaign has confirmed to Billboard.
The multiple Grammy Award winners follow country singer Mickey Guyton and Americana artist Jason Isbell, who performed on the first day of the four-day event on August 19. Longtime Democratic supporter and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee James Taylor was also scheduled to perform, but was forced to cancel due to time constraints and President Joe Biden’s early arrival onstage.
Speakers scheduled for Tuesday’s four-hour primetime slot, under the theme “A Bold Vision for America’s Future,” include former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, Harris’ husband and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. (Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, is scheduled to speak on Aug. 21.) Tuesday’s moderator will be commentator Ana Navarro.
The “New Attitude” singer is a frequent guest on the Democratic National Convention stage, where she performed a spine-tingling version of the Sam Cooke classic and civil rights anthem “A Change is Gonna Come” at the 2004 DNC.
She is also close with President Harris and President Biden. LaBelle recently performed at President Biden’s Juneteenth concert on the South Lawn of the White House on June 10. In 2021, President Biden signed legislation making June 19 (Juneteenth) a federal holiday, commemorating the day in 1865 when the last slaves learned of their emancipation. She was joined by Gladys Knight, Kirk Franklin, Anthony Hamilton, Doug E. Fresh, Brittney Spencer, Trombone Shorty, and Charlie Wilson.
Similarly, Common performed the Oscar-winning song “Glory” from the 2014 film “Selma” with John Legend at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, which was virtual due to the pandemic.
LaBelle is currently on her 8065 Tour, named for her age of 80 and her 65 years in music. The tour began in July and will wrap up in St. Petersburg, Florida on December 18. When Billboard asked her earlier this year if she had plans to retire, the icon replied, “Not at all. I plan to keep going. There’s no reason to quit unless I can’t do it anymore, right? And you can’t retire from something you love, right?”
Common and Pete Rock will kick off the tour on August 28th to promote their collaborative album, The Auditorium.
