Patti Austin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patti Austin
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Austin in 2000
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| Background information | |
| Born | August 10, 1950 Harlem, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, pop, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1954–present |
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Patti Austin is an American singer and songwriter. She was born on August 10, 1950. Patti is famous for her R&B, pop, and jazz music. One of her most well-known songs is "Baby, Come to Me." This was a duet with James Ingram in 1982. The song became a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
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Patti Austin's Music Journey
Patti Austin was born in Harlem, New York. Her father, Gordon Austin, was a jazz trombonist. She grew up in Bay Shore, New York. Famous musicians Quincy Jones and Dinah Washington were like godparents to her.
Early Performances and Recordings
Patti started performing at a very young age. When she was just four years old, she sang at the famous Apollo Theater. As a teenager, she recorded songs for commercials. She also sang backup for other artists. In 1969, she had an R&B hit song called "Family Tree." She also sang backup on Paul Simon's hit song "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" in 1975.
Her first album, End of a Rainbow, came out in 1976. It was released by the jazz record label CTI Records. Patti also sang on Billy Joel's album The Stranger in 1977. She performed duets with other artists too. These included "The Closer I Get to You" with Tom Browne. She also sang with Michael Jackson on his album Off the Wall.
Working with Quincy Jones and Big Hits
Patti Austin sang on Quincy Jones's album The Dude. After that, she signed with his record label, Qwest Records. Her album Every Home Should Have One was released by Qwest. This album featured the song "Baby, Come to Me." This duet with James Ingram became a huge number one hit.
She had another duet with James Ingram called "How Do You Keep the Music Playing." This song was featured in the movie Best Friends in 1982. Patti's last album for Qwest, The Real Me, included classic jazz songs. Later, she moved to GRP Records. There, she released albums like Love Is Gonna Getcha. This album had popular songs such as "Good in Love."
Later Career and Special Moments
In 2001, Patti Austin was supposed to be on United Flight 93. However, she changed her flight because her mother had a stroke. This meant she was not on the plane during the September 11 attacks.
In 2003, Patti worked with Frances Yip on a project called Papillon III. They performed together to support the Jade Ribbon Campaign. They also released a CD/DVD where they sang duets in Mandarin.
Patti performed with the WDR Big Band from Germany in 2000. This led to more recordings with them. Two of these recordings earned her Grammy nominations. Her album For Ella (2002) was a tribute to the legendary singer Ella Fitzgerald. In 2007, her album Avant Gershwin won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.
Patti shared that seeing one of Judy Garland's last concerts as a teenager greatly influenced her. She wanted to sing songs with as much feeling as Judy Garland did.
In 2011, Patti released Sound Advice. This album featured her versions of songs by other artists. These included "Gotta Serve Somebody" by Bob Dylan and "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers. The album also had a song Patti wrote called "The Grace of God." She wrote it after watching a TV show about a woman with a scarred face.
Patti Austin also appeared in the movie 20 Feet from Stardom. This documentary film won an Oscar in 2013. It was about the lives of backup singers. In 2015, she sang on Patrick Williams' jazz album Home Suite Home. Her performance on the song "52nd & Broadway" helped it win a Grammy Award.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Patti Austin has received many awards for her music. The Grammy Awards are very important music awards. They are given out every year. Patti has won one Grammy Award and has been nominated seven times.
Grammy Awards Received
- In 2008, Patti Austin won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Avant Gershwin.
Other Honors
- Patti Austin has also received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music. This is a special degree given to people who have achieved great things.
Patti Austin's Albums
Patti Austin has released many studio and live albums throughout her career.
Studio Albums
- End of a Rainbow (1976)
- Havana Candy (1977)
- Body Language (1980)
- Every Home Should Have One (1981)
- Patti Austin (1984)
- Gettin' Away with Murder (1985)
- The Real Me (1988)
- Love Is Gonna Getcha (1990)
- Carry On (1991)
- That Secret Place (1994)
- Jukebox Dreams (1996)
- In & Out of Love (1998)
- Street of Dreams (1999)
- On the Way to Love (2001)
- For Ella (2002)
- "Papillon" featuring Patti Austin and Frances Yip (2003)
- Avant Gershwin (2007)
- Sound Advice (2011)
- Mighty Musical Fairy Tales (2016)
- For Ella 2 (2023)
Live Albums
- Live at the Bottom Line (1979)
- Live (1992)
- Ella and Louis (2017)
Patti Austin's Singles
Patti Austin has released many popular singles. Some of her most famous songs include:
- "The Family Tree" (1969)
- "Do You Love Me?" (1981)
- "Razzamatazz" (with Quincy Jones) (1981)
- "Baby, Come to Me" (with James Ingram) (1982) - This song reached number 1 on the US Hot 100 chart.
- "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" (with James Ingram) (1983)
- "It's Gonna Be Special" (1984)
- "Honey for the Bees" (1985)
- "The Heat of Heat" (1986)
- "Through the Test of Time" (1990)
- "Reach" (1994)
Patti Austin in Movies
Patti Austin has also appeared in a few movies:
- The Wiz (1978) - She was part of the choir's voice.
- Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988) - She played the role of Millie.
- 20 Feet from Stardom (2013) - She appeared as herself in this documentary.
See also
In Spanish: Patti Austin para niños
