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Brenda RussellAmerican-Canadian singer, songwriter and keyboardist
Date of Birth: 08.04.1949
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Biography of Brenda Russell
- Collaborations and Early Career
- Solo Success and Recognition
- Commercial Success and Later Career
- Comeback and Recent Work
Biography of Brenda Russell
Early Life and Musical BeginningsBrenda Russell, born Brenda Gordon on April 8, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York, is an American-Canadian singer, songwriter, and keyboardist. Her father, Gus, was a member of the popular vocal group 'The Ink Spots'. As a teenager, Brenda performed with local bands and later joined the cast of the rock musical 'Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical' in Toronto, where she began playing the piano.
Collaborations and Early Career
In the early 1970s, Brenda married musician Bryan Russell, and together they formed the creative duo 'Brian & Brenda'. They released two albums on Elton John's label 'Rocket'. In 1976, they contributed to Robert Palmer's soul-pop album 'Double Fun'. After their divorce in the late 1970s, Brenda embarked on her solo career, now living in Los Angeles. Their daughter Lindsay was born in 1977, and in 2007, Brenda and Bryan became grandparents when Lindsay gave birth to their grandson Nehimiah.
Solo Success and Recognition
Brenda signed a contract with Tommy LiPuma's label 'Horizon Records' and released her debut single 'So Good, So Right' in 1979, which became a hit. She then moved to 'A&M Records', which helped her release her self-titled debut album 'Brenda Russell'. The album included the songs 'If Only For One Night' and 'In the Thick of It', with the former becoming a hit when Luther Vandross covered it. In 1981, Brenda released the album 'Love Life', followed by 'Two Eyes' in 1983 under the label 'Warner Bros. Records Inc.'.
Commercial Success and Later Career
Brenda relocated to Sweden, where she gathered material for her next release. In 1988, she released the album 'Get Here', which became her most commercially successful album. The standout hit from the album was 'Piano in the Dark', a duet with Joe Esposito. The song was nominated for three Grammy awards. The album's title track also became a worldwide hit when Oleta Adams covered it in 1991. After releasing two more albums in the early 1990s, Brenda took a break from recording her own music and focused on writing songs for other artists and film soundtracks.
Comeback and Recent Work
Brenda revived her solo career in 2000 with the release of her album 'Paris Rain' under the label 'Hidden Beach Records'. The album, which featured collaborations with Carole King, Dave Koz, and Sheila Escovedo, was well-received by critics and targeted a more mature audience. In 2003, she signed with 'Dome Records' and released the compilation album 'So Good, So Right: The Best of Brenda Russell'. Her eighth studio album, 'Between the Sun and the Moon', was released in 2004. Brenda's latest studio album, 'This Is Real Life', is set to be released in 2010.
