PATTI AUSTIN

Patti Austin’s keen interest in being a total entertainer likely started when she stepped onto the stage of the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem at the age of four at the urging of music legend Dinah Washington.  The daughter of jazz trombonist Gordon Austin, Patti was a recording star in her teens, achieving her first chart success in 1969 with “The Family Tree” (a Top 50 R&B single) after a string of 45s that would later become treasured collector’s items among Britain’s Northern soul community.  

After a series of much-acclaimed albums for CTI Records, she signed with her godfather Quincy Jones’ Qwest label and began achieving mainstream success on an international level thanks to the GRAMMY®-nominated hit "Baby Come To Me," her now classic duet with James Ingram and the follow-up duet, the Oscar-nominated "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" as well as her appearance on albums with Jones on his best-selling Stuff Like That, his GRAMMY®--winning classic The Dude and later, his From Q With Love Vols. 1& 2. 

The GRAMMY®-nominated For Ella album opened up new doors for Patti as a performer, and her embrace by the jazz world was further cemented with her Grammy-winning classic CD “Avant Gershwin: Now, after more than two decades of touring, her take on the classic American Song Book has expanded Patti’s appeal and garnered standing ovations all over the USA and Europe. November of 2023brought the Grammy-nominated “For Ella 2”, a critically acclaimed release celebrating the great Ella Fitzgerald in Patti’s unique song storytelling style.

Patti’s critically acclaimed Pop/ R&B release entitled “Sound Advice” will soon yield a sequel, “Sound Advice 2,” and will further demonstrate her amazing artistic versatility. 

Patti continues her philanthropic work with her mentoring organization, “The Over My Shoulder Foundation. With offers pouring in, she looks forward to continuing her touring schedule to the delight of fans all around the world.