2026 ·Jun 03, 2026

Catherine Russell

CATHERINE RUSSELL

jazz, blues, and swing
New York, New York

Catherine Russell may have been born into jazz royalty, but the Grammy-winning singer took the long road to stardom. Her father, Panamanian-born Luis Russell, was a legendary musical polymath—a pianist, composer, and bandleader, who worked as Louis Armstrong’s longtime musical director. Her mother was the equally legendary Carline Ray, a groundbreaking vocalist, guitarist and bassist who performed with the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Mary Lou Williams, Wynton Marsalis, and more.

Born in New York City in 1956, Catherine grew up steeped in music—not only the vintage, early jazz of her father’s orchestras, but also modern jazz, R&B, and even country music; “Anything that swings,” as she once told jazz journalist Nat Hentoff. Though she didn’t live in Harlem, Catherine’s connections to the neighborhood ran deep; her mother was born and raised in the neighborhood and Catherine attended pre-school and church there, absorbing the lessons and lore of this storied musical Mecca.

Catherine attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she studied theater and acting, graduating in 1980. Her first break came soon after, when she was invited to join Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen onstage in a Manhattan nightclub. Impressed with her commanding voice, Fagan invited her on tour, and Russell’s career as a backup singer was born.

Over the next decade, Catherine established herself as an in-demand backup and session singer, touring and recording over 200 albums alongside such greats as David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Roseanne Cash, and many more. But standing twenty feet from stardom wasn’t enough and Russell finally stepped into the spotlight in 2006, at the age of 50, with her debut solo album, Cat.

Cat was a critical success, garnering Russell rave reviews for her innovative blend of traditional jazz and blues with offbeat, original arrangements, while her seasoned voice and swing-inflected phrasing earned her comparisons to Dinah Washington. Cat’s success paved the way for a successful solo career that has spanned several albums so far, earning multiple Grammy Award nominations in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category, alongside a Grammy win for her contribution to the Boardwalk Empire soundtrack in 2011.

Through her impressive career Russell’s music has always remained firmly rooted in the sound and spirit of the swing she grew up on. Her repertoire includes songs from the 1920s to the present day, making her one of the great modern standard-bearers of the American songbook, and prompting All Music Guide to hail her as “a retro old school vocalist for the ages."