Patti Austin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patti Austin
Austin in 2000
Background information
Born	(1950-08-10) August 10, 1950 (age 74) Harlem, New York, U.S.
Genres	R&B, pop, jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Years active	1954–present
Labels	CTI Qwest GRP Shanachie

Patti Austin (born August 10, 1950) is an American singer and songwriter. She is famous for her R&B, pop, and jazz music. Patti won a Grammy Award for her amazing singing. One of her most well-known songs is "Baby, Come to Me". This song was a duet with James Ingram in 1982. It became a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Music Career Highlights

Patti Austin was born in Harlem, New York. Her father, Gordon Austin, was a jazz trombonist (someone who plays the trombone in jazz music). She grew up in Bay Shore, New York. Famous musicians Quincy Jones and Dinah Washington were like godparents to her.

Patti started performing at a very young age. When she was only four years old, she sang at the famous Apollo Theater. As a teenager, she recorded many commercial jingles (short songs for advertisements). She also worked as a session singer. This means she sang backing vocals for other artists' songs.

In 1969, she had an R&B hit song called "Family Tree." She also sang backing vocals for Paul Simon's hit song "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" in 1975. Her first album, End of a Rainbow, came out in 1976. She sang on Billy Joel's album The Stranger in 1977. Patti also sang duets with Michael Jackson and George Benson. A duet is a song sung by two people.

After singing on Quincy Jones's album The Dude, Patti signed with his record label, Qwest. Her album Every Home Should Have One included "Baby, Come to Me". This song with James Ingram became a huge hit. Another duet with James Ingram, "How Do You Keep the Music Playing," was in the movie Best Friends (1982). Her album The Real Me featured classic jazz songs, known as jazz standards.

Patti then moved to GRP Records. She released four albums with them, including Love Is Gonna Getcha. This album had popular songs like "Good in Love" and "Through the Test of Time."

Austin sings with the Moscow Jazz Orchestra at the Sochi Jazz Festival in Russia in August 2017

Patti Austin was supposed to be on United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. However, she changed her flight because her mother had a stroke a few days before. This change saved her life.

In 2003, she worked with Frances Yip on a project called Papillon III. They performed together to help the Jade Ribbon Campaign at Stanford University. They even released a CD and DVD where they sang duets in Mandarin.

Patti performed with the Germany-based WDR Big Band in 2000. This led to more recordings with them. Two of these recordings earned her Grammy nominations. For Ella (2002) was a special album that honored the legendary singer Ella Fitzgerald. In 2007, her album Avant Gershwin won her a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.

In an interview from 2007, Patti shared a story about seeing Judy Garland perform. Patti was a teenager and didn't really want to go. But the concert deeply moved her. She said it made her want to sing songs in a way that truly showed her feelings.

In 2011, Patti released Sound Advice. This album featured her own 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 she wrote called "The Grace of God." She wrote it after seeing a powerful story on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Patti also appeared in the movie 20 Feet from Stardom in 2013. This movie won an Oscar!

In 2015, Patti sang on Patrick Williams' jazz album Home Suite Home. The song she sang, "52nd & Broadway," won a Grammy Award for its musical arrangement.

Awards and Honors

• Grammy Award, Best Jazz Vocal Album, Avant Gershwin, 2008
• Honorary doctorate, Berklee College of Music (This is a special degree given to honor someone's achievements.)

Discography

Patti Austin has released many studio albums and live albums throughout her career. Some of her notable albums include End of a Rainbow, Every Home Should Have One, Love Is Gonna Getcha, and For Ella. She has also released many singles, with "Baby, Come to Me" being her most famous hit.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Patti Austin para niños

• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart