It’s been a great year for soul legend Patti LaBelle…

Not only did she strike gold with her Patti Pies (and subsequent Patti Cakes), the Daily Mail Online reports that the 71-year-old singer is dating her 41-year-old drummer, Eric Seats.

A source tells the Daily they’ve been seeing each other for the past year and a half. “She tried to keep it quiet, but everyone around her has figured things out now. She’s completely smitten with him and they spend so much time together,” said the source.

The source goes on to explain LaBelle and Seats first met when he was hired to be her drummer several years ago when the singer was just coming out of a bad relationship. “It wasn’t long before he was helping her heal her broken heart,” the source said. “He made her feel at ease and she loved that he had such a vast experience working in the music business.”

Seats’ career has spanned over 20 years; he’s has toured with Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, Timbaland and Missy Elliott, and producing songs for Destiny’s Child, Aaliyah, 702 and Tank.

Supposedly, Seats even moved across the country from L.A. to Patti’s hometown of Philadelphia to be closer to her. “Patti was so happy he moved to Philly with her. She loves having him with her all the time. She even has a big portrait of the two of them up on her wall in her bedroom,” said the source.

Sounds like a whirlwind romance! But reports are that Patti’s son and manager, 42-year-old Zuri Edwards, isn’t too happy with the thought of his mother dating someone that much younger. “He saw how hard she took her last breakup with the much-younger man she was seeing and just doesn’t want to see his mom hurt again,” explained the source.

Sound like a healthy concern for his mother, which is understandable!