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. 

During the 70s Patti was the undisputed "Queen" of the New York session scene, her voice was heard behind everyone from Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, James Brown and Joe Cocker to Bette Midler, Roberta Flack, Luther Vandross and Diana Ross and on countless memorable commercial jingles. 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 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.

Patti continues her philanthropic work with her mentoring organization, “The Over My Shoulder Foundation and with Covid hopefully winding down she has resumed her touring schedule to the delight of fans all around the world.