By Karen Jacobs
Reuters
Friday, May 3, 2002; Page C03

ATLANTA, May 2 -- Thousands of fans, relatives and music executives gathered here today to bid farewell to Grammy-winning R&B singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, remembered as a creative musician who gave generously to family and friends.

Lopes, a member of the R&B trio TLC, died April 25 in Honduras when the sport utility vehicle she was driving overturned.

A capacity crowd of about 10,000 people filled New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in the Atlanta suburb of Lithonia and hundreds more waited outside the church during the 30-year-old singer's funeral.

A host of stars attended, including singers Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson and Keith Sweat and producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.

Antonio Reid, president and CEO of Arista Records and one of TLC's producers, said Lopes was "one of the most creative people I ever met."

Reid said the challenge in working with Lopes was to separate her good ideas from her bad ones. Lopes came up with the title "FanMail" for TLC's most recent album in 1999, only to try changing the name just days before the album was to be released. The name stuck and the album topped the U.S. pop charts for five weeks, selling more than 8 million copies.

"Her creativity just flowed and flowed," Reid said during the service.

Several speakers made reference to media reports that portrayed Lopes unfavorably.

"Lisa was not what the news said she was," said the Rev. Sherman Washington, a family friend.

Lopes made headlines in 1994 when she was arrested on charges of burning down the house of her ex-boyfriend, former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Andre Rison. Lopes was fined and sentenced to five years' probation, then entered an alcohol rehab program.

Her mother, Wanda Lopes Colemon, said her daughter's life was short but rewarding, and said she gave unstintingly to her family.

"My daughter was truly blessed with the gift of giving," she said.

The singer's brother, Ronald Lopes, said Lisa's life had its share of turmoil, but that the changes she underwent in the last few years made her a better person.

"She cleansed her body, her mind," he said. "She had pure thoughts, and that's what gives me peace about her passing."

The Philadelphia-born Lopes moved in 1992 to Atlanta, where she met Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas.

They became TLC, which burst onto the music scene 10 years ago, won four Grammy Awards and was one of the most successful female trios in history.