Singer songwriter Brenda Russell is celebrating her 59th birthday on April 8th. The veteran artist earned critical raves as well as Tony and Grammy nominations for her work on Broadway's The Color Purple, for which she wrote music and lyrics with Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. The Color Purple played its final show at the Broadway Theatre in New York on February 24th after 910 regular performances, though the national tour continues.
Russell's most recent studio album, 2004's Between The Sun And The Moon, was released on the Narada Jazz label and was Russell's first studio set since 2000's Paris Rain. The album includes a cameo by singer Patti Austin, who co-wrote the title track and sings it with Russell. Also appearing were Incognito's Bluey Maunick and guitarist Lee Ritenour.
Russell is renowned for her songwriting as well as her vocals. Among her original tunes that later became smash hits for other artists are "If Only For One Night," recorded by Luther Vandross; "Dinner With Gershwin," recorded by Donna Summer; and "Get Here," recorded by Oleta Adams. The 2001 tune she collaborated on with Brazilian artist Ivan Lins, "She Walks This Earth," was recorded by Sting and nominated for a performance Grammy.
Born in New York and raised in Toronto, Russell became a recording artist as a duet act with her former husband as Brian & Brenda in the early '70s. After coming to Los Angeles, she established herself with her 1978 A&M debut album Brenda Russell, featuring the classics "If Only For One Night" and "So Good, So Right."
Russell was diagnosed with diabetes in late 2004, forcing her to drop out of the annual holiday tour with saxophonist Dave Koz. But after getting a handle on the disease, she bounced back and appeared on the Norman Brown Summer Storm tour in 2005.
In December of 2005, The Color Purple opened on Broadway. Russell says that after receiving attention from the Tony Awards in 2006, the ceremonies that honor theatrical achievement, she didn't even consider that their work on the original cast recording might be eligible for a Grammy. The 2007 nomination was a nice surprise, says Russell: "My co-creators, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray and myself were ecstatic. We wrote the music and lyrics for The Color Purple musical on Broadway, and we couldn't be happier. We had 11 Tony nominations, and we were nominated for the best score, and we're just thrilled."
Though the musical has wrapped on Broadway, it is set to make a leap to the big screen. Oprah Winfrey, who was a presenting producer for the Broadway run of The Color Purple and also appeared as Sofia in the original 1985 Steven Spielberg film, has committed to co-producing a film of the musical version. Fantasia Barrino is reportedly attached to reprise her role as Celie.
Meanwhile, Russell continues to write and record songs for a future CD project. She says she is clear about what her strengths are as an artist: "I have the gift of songwriting so I don't see why I should not do that (laughs). If I can do it, you know, let's do it! Until I can no longer do it. I just love creating music from nothing and being inspired by life and love and sadness and all the things that happen in the world."
Very happy birthday wishes to Brenda Russell.
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