Sandi Patty

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Sandi Patti (born July 12, 1956 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), known as "The Voice,[citation needed]" is an American Contemporary Christian music singer. She is renowned for her impeccable musicality and the breadth of her voice, once described as "nuclear powered,[citation needed]" both in terms of its range and flexibility.

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[edit] Early life

Patty was born into a family of musicians; her father was a minister of music and her mother served as the church pianist. She first performed at the age of two when she sang "Jesus Loves Me" for her church. A few years later, she and her brothers joined her parents in a performing group, known as "The Ron Patty Family," and sang at churches across the nation during summer holidays. After high school graduation in San Diego, CA, she attended San Diego State University and Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana, where she studied voice and conducting. While studying at Anderson University, she worked as a studio musician for area recording studios, singing background vocals and recording commercial jingles, including one for Juicy Fruit gum. Her reputation as a performer and studio singer grew during the late 1970s, and it was during this time that she initiated contact with legendary CCM musician, Bill Gaither.

[edit] Singing career

Patty recorded her first album, For My Friends, an independent effort, that landed in the hands of record executives at Singspiration! In 1979, she was signed to Singspiration! and released her first professional record, Sandi's Song. A printer's error on the labeling listed her name as Sandi Patti, and she used this moniker as her stage name for the next fifteen years.

Her career excelled after she won her first two GMA Dove Awards in 1982, and began singing backup for Bill Gaither and the Bill Gaither Trio. She headlined her first national tour in 1984, and reached national acclaim after her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was included during the ABC Statue of Liberty rededication broadcast on July 4, 1986. This exposure led to multiple mainstream television appearances including The Tonight Show, Christmas in Washington, and Walt Disney Fourth of July Extravaganza.

At the peak of her career, her concerts were so heavily attended that she performed in often sold-out mainstream arenas and concert halls. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she averaged over 200 concerts a year, and supported a staff of over 30 that managed her career. During this time she was noted, often critically, as the highest paid singer in the Christian music industry, largely due to massive touring and high-profile public appearances. Patty is the most awarded Christian Female Singer in history by the Gospel Music Association, and in 2004 was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Her career stalled in the mid-'90s due to personal problems, but she slowly rebuilt her career, expanding her musical appeal by performing pops concerts with symphony orchestras, including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Pops. More recently, she appeared in the 2006 annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. A televised performance of Sandi Patty's Yuletide Special was filmed for syndication in 2006, with other performers including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the U.S. Air Force Reserve Band. A new recording and inspirational book are slated for release April 10, 2007, both titled Falling Forward.

[edit] Personal life

While studying at Anderson University, Patty married John Helvering, who became her business manager. They divorced in 1992, citing irreconciliable differences. However, it was revealed in 1995 that during the marriage, Patty engaged in an extra-marital affair with one of her backup singers, Don Peslis; they later married that year. This revelation had a chilling effect on her career and her reputation in the Christian music industry. She has since written Broken on the Back Row, a biography that chronicles her rise to stardom, her divorce and remarriage, and the subsequent rebuilding of her career.

Patty is currently married to Peslis. Together, their family consists of Patty's four children from her marriage with Helvering, three children from Peslis's first marriage, and one child adopted shortly after their marriage in 1995. Her experiences in raising a "blended" family inspired her latest book, Life in the Blender. She currently resides in Anderson, Indiana.

[edit] Awards

[edit] Discography

  • 1978 - For My Friends (Unreleased to the general public)
  • 1979 - Sandi's Song
  • 1981 - Love Overflowing
  • 1982 - Lift Up the Lord
  • 1983 - The Gift Goes On (Christmas)
  • 1983 - Live: More Than Wonderful
  • 1984 - Songs from the Heart
  • 1985 - Hymns Just for You
  • 1986 - Morning Like This
  • 1988 - Make His Praise Glorious
  • 1989 - The Finest Moments
  • 1989 - Sandi Patty and The Friendship Company
  • 1990 - Another Time, Another Place
  • 1991 - The Friendship Company: Open for Business
  • 1992 - Hallmark Christmas: Celebrate Christmas!
  • 1993 - LeVoyage
  • 1994 - Quiet Reflections (Compilation of songs from previous albums; This album is not recognized on Sandi's official website)
  • 1994 - Find It On the Wings
  • 1996 - Hallmark Christmas: It's Christmas! Sandi Patty & Peabo Bryson
  • 1996 - An American Songbook
  • 1997 - Artist of My Soul
  • 1998 - Libertad Me Das (Spanish Language Recording)
  • 1999 - Together: Sandi Patty & Kathy Troccoli
  • 2000 - These Days
  • 2001 - All the Best...Live!
  • 2003 - Take Hold of Christ
  • 2004 - Hymns of Faith...Songs of Inspiration
  • 2005 - Yuletide Joy (Christmas)
  • 2005 - Duets (Compialation of duets throughout Sandi's career)
  • 2006 - The Voice of Christmas (Compilation of Christmas songs from Sandi's first 3 Christmas albums)
  • 2007 - The Definitive Collection Presents: Sandi Patty
  • 2007 - Falling Forward: Songs of Worship

[edit] External links

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