Patti Ryan
Patti Ryan | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Patty Ryan |
| Born | Patti A. Ryan Long Beach, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Genres | Country, Americana |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Years active | late 1970s–early 1990s |
Patti Ryan (also known as Patti A. Ryan and Patty Ryan) is an American singer-songwriter best known as a co-writer of the country hit "Lookin' for Love", recorded by Johnny Lee for the 1980 film Urban Cowboy.
Early life
[edit]Ryan grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and was residing in Long Beach, Mississippi, during the early stages of her songwriting career. Prior to achieving success in the music industry, she worked as an elementary-school teacher in the Gulfport School District.[1]
Career
[edit]Ryan came to prominence as a songwriter through Lookin' for Love, which she co-wrote with Wanda Mallette and Bob Morrison. According to contemporary accounts, Ryan and fellow Gulf Coast schoolteacher Wanda Mallette developed the song before it was completed with songwriter Bob Morrison in Nashville.[2] The song was reportedly rejected by more than twenty artists before being selected by Johnny Lee for inclusion in the soundtrack of the 1980 film Urban Cowboy.[1][3] Released in June 1980, Lookin' for Love reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and No. 4 on the Billboard Top 100 Singles, becoming Johnny Lee's signature hit and one of the most successful country-pop crossover recordings of the year.[4]
Ryan subsequently wrote songs recorded by artists including Anne Murray, Moe Bandy and Lorrie Morgan.[5] She later worked in the Nashville songwriting community and has also been associated with the Americana group Inukshuk Pass.[5]
Urban Cowboy: The Musical
[edit]Ryan was among the composers and lyricists whose songs were incorporated into Urban Cowboy, the Broadway musical adaptation of the film. The production received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre at the 57th Tony Awards in 2003.[6][7]
Awards and nominations
[edit]The success of Urban Cowboy and "Lookin' for Love" resulted in several industry award nominations. Ryan was among the credited songwriters nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special for Urban Cowboy at the 23rd Annual Grammy Awards.[8] She also shared Academy of Country Music Award nominations for Song of the Year and Single Record of the Year for Lookin' for Love.[8]
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Grammy Awards | Best Country Song | "Lookin' for Love" | Nominated |
| Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media | Urban Cowboy | Nominated | ||
| 1981 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Song of the Year | "Lookin' for Love" | Nominated |
| Single Record of the Year | "Lookin' for Love" | Nominated | ||
| Album of the Year | Urban Cowboy | Won | ||
| 2003 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score Written for the Theatre (Music and Lyrics) |
Urban Cowboy | Nominated |
Selected songwriting credits
[edit]- 1981: "Lookin' for Love" (Johnny Lee)
- 1981: "Goodnight, Cowboy, Goodnight" (Tammy Wynette)
- 1984: "Just Another Woman in Love" (Anne Murray)
- 1988: "Americana" (Moe Bandy)
- 1989: "Out of Your Shoes" (Lorrie Morgan)
References
[edit]- 1 2 Clark, Jeff (16 August 2018). "A popular '80s country song was written by 2 Coast teachers. But it almost didn't happen". Biloxi Sun Herald. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑ Clark, Jeff (20 July 2016). "Why this Urban Cowboy song is Gulfport's greatest contribution to pop culture". Biloxi Sun Herald. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑ "Lookin' For Love by Johnny Lee". songfacts.com. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
- ↑ "Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Cashbox Magazine (1980-10-11) (p. 4, 24). Retrieved September 17, 2026.
- 1 2 "Patti Ryan". Discogs. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑ "Patti Ryan". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- ↑ "Patti Ryan Tony Awards Info". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Patti Ryan: Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
External links
[edit]- Patti Ryan discography at Discogs
- Patti Ryan discography at MusicBrainz
- Patti Ryan at IMDb
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