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]Both of Russell's parents were musicians. Her mother was a singer/songwriter and her father, Gus Gordon, was 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 old she met the groupthe Soul Searchers.She would later open for them during live performances.[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 they contributed backing vocals toNeil Sedaka's "Laughter in the Rain".The Russells performed as backing vocalists forElton John's concert at Wembley Stadium on June 21, 1975. Credited as Brian & Brenda, they released two albums on John'sRocketlabel:Word Called Lovein 1976 andSupersonic Loverin 1977.[3][5]
The duo also performed on two tracks fromRobert Palmer's breakout soul-pop albumDouble Fun.Their daughter, Lindsay, was born in 1977. The couple divorced, and Brenda set out on a solo career from her base in Los Angeles.
In 1979, Russell'sself-titled debut albumwas released byA&M Records.The album rose to number 20 on theBillboardTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albumschart.[3][7]A track from the LP called "So Good So Right" also hit 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 co-wrote two tracks forEarth, Wind & Fire's 1980 albumFaces(including the hit single "You"), and also co-wrote the hit single"I've Had Enough"from their 1981 albumRaise!She released her second solo albumLove Lifein 1981 on A&M. She also co-wrote the track "Breakout" forPatrice Rushen's 1982 albumStraight From The Heart,and performed backing vocals on the song. Also in 1982, Russell was one of the "All Star Choir" onDonna Summer's hit single "State of Independence",which also includedMichael Jackson,Lionel Richie,Dionne Warwick,Kenny Loggins,Michael McDonaldandStevie Wonderamong others.[3][11][2]
In 1983, she released her third album,Two Eyes,onWarner Bros. Records.Russell relocated toSwedenfor a brief time and 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 and UK Top 30 hit which featuredJoe Esposito.The song garnered threeGrammy Awardnominations.[4]The album became Russell's first charting album in the UK where it peaked at number 77. The title track "Get Here",which was penned by Russell, was later covered by American singerOleta Adamsfor her 1990 albumCircle of One,and became a transatlantic hit for Adams in 1991.
Russell issued her fifth album,Kiss Me with the Wind,in 1990. The album included Russell's own version of the song "Dinner With Gershwin",which she wrote some years earlier and had been a hit for Donna Summer in 1987 (Russell also co-produced and appeared on Summer's version).
Russell wrote and produced the track "Forever" forPhil Perry's 1991 albumThe Heart of the Man.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.[12][13]She also appeared onJoni Mitchell's 1991 albumNight Ride Homeas well as on theYellowjackets' 1992 albumLive Wires.[2]
In 1992, A&M Records released Russell's firstGreatest Hitsalbum. After this, Russell released her sixth studio albumSoul Talkin'in 1993 onEMI Records.Russell co-wrote and produced the track "Let Somebody Know" forDiana Rosson the US version of her 1995 albumTake Me Higher(Russell would record her own version of the song for her 2004 albumBetween The Sun and The Moon). She also recorded two songs for the 1999 filmLiberty Heights,in which she also appeared.
2000s
[edit]Russell returned to her solo career in 2000 with the albumParis Rain,released onHidden Beach Records,with contributions fromCarole King,Dave KozandSheila E..The album saw Russell move away from the pop market toward a more adult-oriented sound.[14]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).[15][16][4]
In 2015, Russell, after making her home in Los Angeles for 30 years, took up residence inTexas.[17]
In 2016, Russell received aGrammynomination forThe Color Purplein the category ofBest Musical Theater Album.[4]
Legacy
[edit]The hook from Russell's song "Piano in the Dark" was heard in the dance club hit "I Cry"byFlo Rida,who actually sampled the song "Cry (Just a Little)"by theBingo Players,which interpolates "Piano in the Dark".[18]
The British bandHot Chipsaid they wished they had written Russell's track "Way Back When" from the 1979 albumBrenda Russell.[19]
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.[16]
| 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.[20]
References
[edit]- ^Gregory, Andy (2002).The International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002. p.444
- ^abc"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.
- ^"Voices That Care: (Hot 100)".billboard.com.[dead link]
- ^"Voices That Care: (Adult Contemporary Songs)".billboard.com.[dead link]
- ^"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".
- ^"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]
- 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