A professional since the age of five, Patti Austin was a protégé of Dinah Washington and Sammy Davis Jr. A 1969 single for United Artists titled "Family Tree" cracked the R&B Top 50. Austin cut her debut LP, End of a Rainbow, for Creed Taylor's CTI label in 1976, followed by Havana Candy in 1977 and Body Language in 1980. She sang lead vocals for Japanese koto player Yutaka Yokokura on "Love Light" in 1978, did a duet with Michael Jackson on "It's the Falling in Love" for Off the Wall, and sang "The Closer I Get to You" on Tom Browne's album in 1979. Austin dueted with George Benson on "Moody's Mood for Love" in 1980. She sang backgrounds for sessions by Houston Person, Noel Pointer, Ralph McDonald, Angela Bofill, and Roberta Flack. Austin did vocals on Quincy Jones' The Dude LP in 1981, and was featured on the hit "Razzamatazz." She inked a solo deal on Jones' Qwest label, and her 1982 LP Every Home Should Have One included the number one pop hit (number nine R&B) "Baby, Come to Me," which got widespread exposure via the ABC soap opera General Hospital. The follow-up single, "How Do You Keep the Music Playing," was the theme for the film Best Friends. Both songs paired Austin with James Ingram. She continued recording for Jones' Qwest label through the '80s, but couldn't recapture her pop or R&B success, despite working with several top producers, including Jam-Lewis in 1985.
Austin switched to GRP in 1990 and recorded Love Is Gonna Getcha, with the singles "Through the Test of Time" and "Good in Love." She subsequently recorded Carry On and Live in 1991 and 1992. Street of Dreams followed in 1999 and On the Way to Love appeared in summer 2001. Her lovely tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, For Ella, appeared in spring 2002.

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D i s c o g r a p h y

End of a rainbow	1976
Havana candy	1977	Legacy
Live at the bottom line	1979	Legacy
Body language	1980	Legacy
Every home should have one	1981	Qwest
In my life	1983	Qwest
Patty Austin	1984	Qwest
Gettin' away with murder	1985	Qwest
The real me	1988	Qwest
Love is gonna getcha	1990	GRP
Carry on	1991	GRP
Live	1992	GRP
That secret place	1994	GRP
The best of Patti Austin	1994	Epic
Ultimate collection	1995	GRP
In & out of love	1998	Concord Vista
Street of dreams	1999	Platinum Entertainment
Best of Patti Austin	1999	Wea
On the way to love	2001	Qwest
Take away the pain stain	2001	Wagram
The very best of Patti Austin	2001	Warner
For ella	2002	Playboy Jazz
Collection	2002	Sony
Body language	2004