Brenda Russell
Brenda Russell | |
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 Russell in 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Brenda Gordon |
| Born | April 8, 1949 New York City,U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1963–present |
| Labels |
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Brenda Russell(néeGordon;born April 8, 1949)[1]is an American singer-songwriter, producer, and keyboardist. Russell has a diverse musical range which encompassesR&B,pop,soul,dance,andjazz.She has received fiveGrammynominations.[2][3][4]
Life and background
[edit]Russell was born Brenda Gordon was born to musician parents, with her mother being a singer/songwriter and her father Gus Gordon, a one-time member ofthe Ink Spots.She spent her early years in Canada after moving toHamilton, Ontario,at the age of 12. As a teenager she began performing in local bands and was recruited to sing in aToronto-based girl group calledThe TiarasalongsideJackie Richardson,Arlene Trotman, and Colina Phillips. The group's only single, "Where Does All The Time Go", was released on Barry Records in 1968 but was unsuccessful.[3][5]
Career
[edit]1960s to 1970s
[edit]When Russell was 14 years of age she met the groupDiane Brooks, Eric Mercury and The Soul Searchers.She would later open for them.[6] In her late teens, she joined the Toronto production ofHair,during which time she had begun to play the piano. In the early 1970s, she married musician Brian Russell when they were both in the bandDr. Music.The couple went on to produceRufus's "Please Pardon Me" (on their albumRufusized) and contribute backup vocals toNeil Sedaka's "Laughter in the Rain". The Russells also featured as backing vocalists forElton John's concert at Wembley Stadium on June 21, 1975. Credited asBrian & Brenda,they released two albums on John'sRocketlabel beingWord Called Lovein 1976 and 1977'sSupersonic Lover.[3][5]
The duo also performed on two tracks fromRobert Palmer's breakout soul-pop albumDouble Fun.Their daughter, Lindsay, was born in 1977, but the couple had divorced by the late 1970s, and Russell, now living in Los Angeles, had set out on a solo career.
In 1979, Russell'sself-titled debut albumwas released byA&M Records.The album got to number 20 on theBillboardTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albumschart.[3][7]A track from the LP called "So Good So Right" also got to number 8 on theBillboardAdult Contemporary Songschart, number 15 on theBillboardHot Soul Songsand number 30 on theBillboardHot 100chart.[8][9][10]
1980s to 1990s
[edit]Russell went on to work withEarth, Wind & Fireas a producer on their 1980 albumFacesand 1981 LPRaise!. Russell released her sophomore albumLove Lifein 1981 on A&M. She also performed and produced onPatrice Rushen's 1981 LPStraight From The HeartandDonna Summer's 1982 albumDonna Summer.[3][11][2]
In 1983, she released her third album,Two Eyes,onWarner Bros. Records.The album got to number 16 on theBlues & SoulTop British Soul Albums chart in the UK.[12][13] Russell eventually relocated toSwedenwhere she began writing songs for her next album.[11]
Returning to A&M Records, Russell's fourth album,Get Here,was released in 1988. It became her greatest commercial success, spawning her biggest hit "Piano in the Dark"(a US Top 10 hit which featuredJoe Esposito) and garnered threeGrammy Awardnominations.[4]
Russell then issued her follow up album,Kiss Me with the Wind,in 1990. The album got to number 25 on the UKBlues & SoulTop British Soul Albums chart.[14][15]She then produced and guested onPhil Perry's 1991 albumThe Heart of the Man.The album rose to No. 17 on theBillboardTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albumschart.[16]Russell also featured on the 1991 charity single "Voices That Care",which reached number 11 on theBillboard Hot 100and number 6 on the BillboardAdult Contemporary Songschart.[17][18][19]
She later appeared onJoni Mitchell's 1991 LPNight Ride Homeas well as on theYellowjackets' 1992 albumLive Wires.[2]
She then released the albumSoul Talkin'in 1993 onEMI Records.Russell went on to produceDiana Rosson her 1995 LPTake Me Higher.The album got to number 10 on theUK Pop Albumschart.[2][20][21]She also contributed to the score for the 1998 filmHow Stella Got Her Groove Backand appeared in the filmLiberty Heightswhere she also performed two songs for the film's soundtrack.
2000s
[edit]Russell returned to her solo career in 2000 with the albumParis Rain,released onHidden Beach Records.The album (which includes collaborations withCarole King,Dave KozandSheila E.) saw Russell move away from the pop market toward a more adult-oriented sound.[22]In 2003, she signed to the new UK label Dome Records and released the compilation albumSo Good, So Right: The Best of Brenda Russell.Her eighth studio album,Between the Sun and the Moon,was released by Dome in 2004.[3]
In 2005, amusical versionofAlice Walker'sThe Color Purpleopened onBroadway.Produced byOprah Winfrey,the show's score was written by Russell and lyricists-composersAllee WillisandStephen Bray.Russell and her co-writers were nominated for aTony Award(for Best Score) and aGrammy Award(in the Best Musical Show Album category).[23][24][4]
In 2015, Russell, after making her home in Los Angeles for 30 years, took up residence inTexas.[25]
In 2016, Russell received aGrammynomination forThe Color Purplein the category ofBest Musical Theater Album.[4]
Legacy
[edit]Russell has been covered by artists such asBabyface,Oleta Adams,The Manhattan Transfer,Luther Vandross,Patti Austin,Ruben Studdard,Donna SummerandRamsey Lewis.She has also been sampled by artists such asJanet Jackson,Tupac Shakur,Chance the Rapper,Thalia,Flo Rida,Ariana Grande,andBig Pun( "Still Not a Player").[26][27][28]
Artists such asHot Chiphave also been influenced by Russell.[29]
Accolades
[edit]Grammy Awards
[edit]TheGrammy Awardsare awarded annually by theNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.Russell has received a total of five Grammy nominations altogether.[4]
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Song of the Year | "Piano in the Dark" | Nominated |
| 1988 | Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female | Get Here | Nominated |
| 1988 | Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals | "Piano in the Dark" | Nominated |
| 2006 | Best Musical Show Album | "The Color Purple" | Nominated |
| 2016 | Best Musical Theatre Album | "The Color Purple" | Won |
Tony Awards
[edit]Russell has also been nominated for aTony Award.[24]
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Original Musical Score | The Color Purple | Nominated |
Discography
[edit]- Brenda Russell(1979)
- Love Life(1981)
- Two Eyes(1983)
- Get Here(1988)
- Kiss Me with the Wind(1990)
- Soul Talkin'(1993)
- Paris Rain(2000)
- Between the Sun and the Moon(2004)
Filmography
[edit]Russell featured as a singer in the feature filmsAmerican Hot Wax,The Santa Clause,andLiberty Heights.[30]
References
[edit]- ^Gregory, Andy (2002).The International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002. p.444
- ^abcd"Brenda Russell".allmusic.com.
- ^abcdef"Counting the Stars: Treasured Singer-Songwriter Brenda Russell Shares Her Story".Popmatters.com.
- ^abcde"Brenda Russell".Grammy.com.
- ^ab"FEATURE BRENDA RUSSELL: SOULSATIONAL".bluesandsoul.com.
- ^Toronto Star,Mar. 17, 2022 -Eric Mercury, Canada’s ‘Electric Black Man,’ singer for ‘Be Like Mike’ campaign, dies By David Friend The Canadian Press
- ^"Brenda Russell: Brenda Russell (Top Soul Albums)".Billboard.com.
- ^"Brenda Russell: So Good So Right (Adult Contemporary Songs)".Billboard.com.
- ^"Brenda Russell: So Good So Right (Hot Soul Songs)".Billboard.com.
- ^"Brenda Russell: So Good So Right (Hot 100)".Billboard.com.
- ^ab"Brenda Russell: Songwriter Interviews".Songfacts.com.RetrievedMay 26,2016.
- ^Brenda Russell: Two Eyes.Warner Bros. Records.May 1983.
- ^"Top British Soul Albums". No. 384.Blues & Soul.June 28, 1983.
{{cite magazine}}:Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - ^Brenda Russell: Kiss Me with the Wind.A&M Records.1990.
- ^"Top British Soul Albums". No. 570.Blues & Soul.September 11, 1990.
{{cite magazine}}:Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - ^"Phil Perry: The Heart of the Man".billboard.com.Billboard.
- ^"Various Artists: Voices That Care".45worlds.com.
- ^"Voices That Care: (Hot 100)".billboard.com.[dead link]
- ^"Voices That Care: (Adult Contemporary Songs)".billboard.com.[dead link]
- ^"Diana Ross".officialcharts.com.
- ^"Brenda Russell".Smooth-jazz.de.RetrievedMay 26,2016.
- ^"SingerUniverse - Brenda Russell article".Archived fromthe originalon November 4, 2005.RetrievedOctober 24,2005.
- ^"About Brenda Russell".Archived fromthe originalon September 25, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 15,2011.
- ^ab"Brenda Russell".Tonyawards.com.
- ^Pam Meade."Brenda Russell finds inspiration for writing songs all around her".
- ^"Brenda Russell".secondhandsongs.com.
- ^"Brenda Russell".genius.com.
- ^"Flo Rida's 'I Cry' Puts Brenda Russell's 'Piano in the Dark' Back on Charts".atlantablackstar.com.October 7, 2012.
- ^"The Songs Hot Chip Wish They Wrote".pitchfork.com.June 25, 2019.
- ^"Brenda Russell".IMDb.com.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Dome Records
- Brenda Russelldiscography atDiscogs
- Brenda RussellatIMDb
- Brenda Russellat theInternet Broadway Database
- Life And Soul Interview
- Brenda Russell InterviewatNAMM Oral History Collection(2020)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1949 births
- Living people
- Singers from Brooklyn
- African-American women singer-songwriters
- American women singer-songwriters
- Narada Productions artists
- Rocket Records artists
- Singer-songwriters from New York (state)
- 20th-century African-American women singers
- 20th-century American women singers
- 20th-century American singers
- 21st-century African-American women singers
- 21st-century American women singers