Flashback Friday

Back to the 80's again to talk about another legend of  Christian music, Sandi Patty.  As one of the most highly acclaimed performers of our time with five Grammy® awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three platinum records, five gold records, and eleven million units sold, Sandi Patty is simply known as The Voice.

Patty was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 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.

Patty recorded her first album, For My Friends, in 1978. In 1979, she released her first professional record, Sandi's Song. 

Patty's career expanded 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 received her first Grammy in 1984 for  her duet with Larnelle Harris, "More Than Wonderful".

Sandi reached national acclaim after her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was included during the ABC Statue of Liberty re-dedication broadcast on July 6, 1986. Virtually overnight she became one of the country’s best-loved performers. 

Her version of the national anthem has become synonymous with patriotic celebration, including performances at “A Capitol Fourth” with the National Symphony, the Indianapolis 500, the Dedication of Camp David Chapel, and ABC’s Fourth of July Special. This exposure led to multiple mainstream television appearances including The Tonight Show, Christmas in Washington, Walt Disney's Fourth of July Extravaganza, and the 1998 Pepsi 400; the clip was frequently used on television sign-offs for the remainder of their existence. 

In 1990, Patty's inspirational single release, "I'll Give You Peace", was released on one of her most popular records, entitled, "Another Time, Another Place", which peaked at #2 on the Christian billboard charts. 

At the peak of her career, Patty's concerts were so heavily attended that she performed in often sold-out mainstream arenas and concert halls across the United States. 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 period of time Patty was noted, often critically, as the highest-paid singer in the Christian music industry averaging over $100,000 per appearance, largely due to massive touring and high-profile public appearances

Sandi is the most awarded female vocalist in contemporary Christian music history, with 40 Dove Awards. She was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2004 and as an Indiana Living Legend in 2007. She has released over 30 albums.

While her thirty-year career is heavily rooted in the gospel music industry, Sandi has had the opportunity in more recent years to extend her career outside the genre. Sandi has performed with symphonies across the country, including the New York Pops, Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, Dallas Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Houston Symphony, and Oklahoma City Philharmonic. She also headlined the title role in sold out performances of the musical “Hello, Dolly!” with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, co-starring Tony Award winner Gary Beach in January 2012.

In addition to her prolific musical career, Sandi is also an accomplished author. For the bestseller Broken on the Back Row, Sandi received the 2006 Silver Angel Award. As an author of seven books, her other titles include Life in the Blender, Falling Forward, Layers, and her forthcoming book, The Edge of the Divine. Her down-to-earth style and sturdy common sense have endeared her to Women of Faith® audiences, with whom she has traveled with since 2005. She’s an example to all of us of the freedom that comes from learning how to move on, learning from her mistakes and letting God use her in any circumstance.

“I am grateful for the many opportunities for God has given in my life and for how He has allowed me to spread my wings,” says Sandi. “Singing is my way to tell my story of hope, life, and love.”

In 2017, Patty announced her retirement from touring, citing age and a desire to spend time with grandchildren. Sandi and her husband, Don, have eight children. They currently reside in Oklahoma City, OK and you can catch up on any recent events on her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sandi.Patty.Music.