Armstead Edwards, former husband of renowned singer Patti LaBelle, shares a tale of love and separation spanning over three decades. Despite divorce, their enduring friendship stands out, offering insights into their unique bond. As Armstead’s current endeavors remain shrouded in mystery, his legacy alongside Patti’s illustrious career persists.
Armstead is a former high school vice-principal and former tour co-manager, better known as the ex-husband of singer and actress Patricia Louise Holt aka Patti LaBelle.
Edward’s wife LaBelle first rose to fame as the lead singer and frontwoman of the vocal group Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. As a solo artist, she is known for hits such as You Are My Friend, If Only You Knew, New Attitude, Stir It Up, and others.
Armstead Edwards and singer Patti have been together for over 30 years. Why did they decide to end their long marriage, how is Armstead doing after the divorce, is he still alive, etc.?
Key Takeaways:
- Patti LaBelle and Armstead Edwards, married for over 30 years, divorced amicably due to realizing they could no longer live together, despite never fighting during their marriage.
- LaBelle and Edwards remained close friends even after the divorce, regularly visiting each other and maintaining a strong bond.
- Armstead Edwards, now 80, resides in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. He keeps a low profile, with little information available about his current activities.
- While Patti LaBelle is notably wealthy, with a net worth estimated at $60 million, Armstead Edwards’ financial status remains unclear, given his behind-the-scenes work in the music industry.
Patti LaBelle’s Ex-Husband, Armstead Edwards Was Born In The 40s
Armstead Edwards, now 80 years old, was born in April 1942. Not much information is available about his parents. However, he has lived in Pennsylvania for several decades.
He has also hardly ever spoken about his parents or his family background. Consequently, not much is known in the media about his origins.
It Was Patti Who Proposed To Armstead Edwards
Philadelphia-born Patty Oprah revealed during an interview that after she and Armstead fell in love, he proposed to her several times, but she refused. Later, Patty herself asked Armstead to marry her.
When I explained the reason for getting down on his knees, LaBelle said.
“[He] asked me to marry him three times, and I said no. The fourth time, I asked him. He said, ‘Let me give it a few days.’ So he gave it a few days, and he said yes.”
The Stir It Up singer claims that she hesitated to marry him or refused his proposal because she loved him. Patti said in an interview that because her parents fought most of the time in their marriage, she feared that something similar would happen to her and Edward’s marriage.
The I-Wish singer said that she was happy when her parents finally separated. Patti thought her parents were better off living separately. Given this experience, the Grammy Hall of Famer always knew she did not want such a marriage.
Before Armstead Edwards became Patti’s husband, he was her manager. Patti and Armstead Edwards finally married in Maryland in 1969. According to Patti, the party was small and casual, with beer and soft-shell crabs.
Patti LaBelle Shares Three Children With Her Ex-Husband, Armstead
Four years after their marriage, Patti gave birth to their first son, Zuri. LaBelle and Armstead then adopted two more children, Stanley Stocker-Edwards and Dodd Stocker-Edwards.
Armstead’s son Stanley is a Harvard graduate and his other son Dodd is an advertising artist. Patti and Armstead adopted Stanley and Dodd when they were minors.
Their biological mother was reportedly a neighbor of Armstead and Patti, who had died. Patti does not want her and Armsted’s son Zuri to have a career in show business. The multiple Grammy Award winner once explained that she did not want her son to go through the stresses and shocks that she had to go through in the business.
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Why Armstead Edwards And Patti LaBelle Separated?
Patti and Armstead Edwards ended their marriage of over 30 years. Explaining the reason for their divorce, Patti said in November 2018 that she and Armstead had come to a harsh realization.
The Winner In You singer said that she and her husband came to the end of their marriage after they both realized they could no longer live together. Patti revealed that they realized it was time to let each other go after they started liking each other from a distance. The R and B singer added that things remained incredibly amicable even when the marriage broke up.
LaBelle said that she never hated Edward, and he never hated her either. The Hollywood Walk of Famers added that they just couldn’t live together – not because of physical altercations or anything else. LaBelle made it clear that they never fought during their marriage, and she is grateful for that.
Describing the final stage of their engagement, Patty said,
We got along even when we didn’t get along! But then we realized that we had to leave each other.
Rebel and Patti announced their divorce in 2000. The former couple finalized their divorce in 2003. Sometime after the divorce, Patti said that she and her ex-husband were cool and friends. In an interview with Woman’s World magazine, Patti said the following about her marriage and divorce from Edward
“I was married for 34 years to a man that I met when I was a young kid, and we were married for as long as that, liking each other.”
LaBelle said that although she and Armstead did not fall in love, they continued to love each other and that they are now best friends. The former couple also lived about 20 minutes apart at the time and often visited each other’s homes.
They even saw each other at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Patti claims that Edward and her relationship remains close. Although LaBelle has said that she and Armstead Edwards will never be together again romantically, she appreciates their close relationship and the bond that unites them even nearly two decades after their divorce.
Armstead Edwards’ Ex-Spouse Patti LaBelle After The Divorce; Is She Married Now?
After Edwards died in 2016, dramatic soprano Patti was reported to have been quietly dating her then 41-year-old drummer Eric Seats. At the time, the two had known each other for over a year.
Like Patti, Eric has also had a career as a musician. He has toured with Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, and Missy Elliott, and produced songs for Destiny’s Child and Aaliyah.
Patti, on the other hand, is currently single, or so her Instagram suggests. The Grammy Award winner shares almost everything about her life on and off the stage, but she shares about her married life with ABC.
Armstead Used To Be A Principal
Professionally, Armstead Edwards was first a high school vice principal who later co-managed his ex-wife Patti’s career and even ran the couple’s boutique in Philadelphia.
However, it is not clear whether the business partnership is still ongoing. When Armstead was Patti’s manager, he was the man responsible for the success of her “Look to the Rainbow” tour.
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What Is Edwards Doing Now; Is He Still Alive?
As someone who has run out of retirement, LaBelle’s former partner Armstead Edwards hasn’t been sitting on many Qs and A’s lately. And, unlike his ex-wife, he’s also not that active on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or, like, passing the time zones. It is therefore unclear what exactly Armstead is doing these days.
While there are not dozens of pieces on the clouds, including messages of proportion to Edward, he was last seen in May 2019 using the Instagram pseudonym @gijonesjrphilly.
The occasional surprising question is whether Armstead is still alive or not. While there have been no allegations of Armstead’s passing or even his ill health, and given that even LaBelle hasn’t spoken about any such thing, it seems likely that Armstead Edwards is alive by now. He now lives in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania.
Is Armstead Edwards As Rich As His Ex-Wife, Patti LaBelle?
Patti, Edwards’ powerful vocalist, is distinctly wealthy, given her hit records and reputation in the music world for more than five decades.
Given LaBelle’s many hits and chart-topping tracks, her wealth of around $60 million should not seem unheard of. However, the thought of ex-partner Edward having an equally large net worth seems to be a serious stir. While he was in the music industry doing behind-the-scenes work, the prospect of him amassing a lot of money during these periods seems less likely.
Armstead Edwards Other Facts
- Armstead and Patty’s adopted son Stanley once met Michelle Obama.
Why did Patti LaBelle and Armstead Edwards divorce?
Answer: Patti LaBelle and Armstead Edwards divorced amicably after realizing they could no longer live together, despite maintaining a strong bond and friendship post-divorce.
