The Peterson Family
Inducted 2019
The Peterson Family is often referred to as “Minnesota’s First Family of Music”. Everyone in the Peterson Family is a musician/singer including extended family (cousins Russy and Tommy) and the next generation (Jason, Tracy, Isaac, Vanessa and Jeanne Taylor). The Peterson Family legacy all began in Richfield, Minnesota with mother JEANNE ARLAND PETERSON, “The Grande Dame of Minnesota Jazz” (She was individually inducted into The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in 1992). Jeanne spent 22 years in WCCO Radio’s House Band, led by her late husband Willie Peterson. Jeanne raised five children, all who bacame professional musicians! LINDA PETERSON is an international recording artist, songwriter, pianist, and vocalist. She has appeared at The Copenhagen Jazz Festival in Denmark several times. Linda has five CDs to her credit, two of which were recorded in Copenhagen. Ms. Peterson lives and works in Palm Springs, California and travels to Florida, Minnesota, Europe, and South America to work during the summer months. BILLY PETERSON is one of the premier & most-celebrated bass players worldwide. His uncompromising talents as a performer have brought him widespread recognition as well as his plenty credits as a composer, arranger, and producer. It’s no surprise that Billy is quite often compared to a chameleon filling many positions; he is at home in several genres of music including rock, pop, R&B, soul, jazz, folk, or country. During his extensive musical career, this permanently in-demand bassist has worked with many internationally famous & acclaimed artists, among them Carlos Santana, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Prince, Les Paul, and Steve Miller- just to name a few. PATTY PETERSON began singing as a child at concerts and recording sessions, and today is an inspirational speaker, dynamic vocalist with seven Minnesota Music Awards to her credit, and a radio host on KBEM Jazz 88 in the Twin Cities. She is a mainstay in the Minnesota “jingle” and recording industry with four solo CDs to her credit featuring the likes of Sheila E., David Hazeltine, Stokley Williams, Ira Sullivan, as well as her mother Jeanne & her brothers Billy, Ricky, and Paul Peterson. Patty also appears in numerous live and in-studio productions for national recording artists and commercials as well as a Show Producer. As a vocalist, Patty has performed to sold-out audiences all over the country. RICKY PETERSON is best known for his 20-year association as Music Director of saxophone legend David Sanborn, and for having produced, written, and played keyboards for Prince during his early days on the Twin Cities scene- perhaps most notably for producing and arranging Prince’s song “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”. Ricky has a solo career as a vocalist/keyboardist with four albums to his credit, including his solo debut Night Watch on major-label Warner Bros. Records. Prince discovered multi-instrumentalist PAUL PETERSON, a/k/a “St. Paul”, at the age of 17. Paul plays bass, piano, guitar, and drums, and Prince enlisted him as a keyboard player in legendary R&B group The Time for the movie Purple Rain. Paul then took the lead vocalist spot in the Prince-produced group The Family before becoming a solo artist and scoring hits for major labels MCA Records and Atlantic Records. Paul has recorded, toured, or written with Steve Miller, Peter Frampton, Daryl Hall, Prince, George Benson, Oleta Adams, The Corrs, Kenny Loggins, and Morris Day and The Time to name a few. When Paul isn’t recording he runs Peterson Music and Events, a music and event consulting service originally started by his father Willie Peterson back in the 1940’s. He also has a 16-piece orchestra that plays at many of the top galas in the Minneapolis/St Paul area, appropriately titled The Paul Peterson Orchestra. JASON PETERSON DELAIRE is proficient on keyboards & saxophone, as well as being a seasoned singer, songwriter, and producer. In 1985 Jason played his first professional gig at age 15. In 1988-89, Jason studied Film Score & Harmony at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He is a well-rounded versatile performer of classic jazz and R&B, and has earned a reputation as a solid touring accompanist and ‘front’ solo performer. Jason has toured nationally and internationally with renowned artists such as Donny Osmond, Michael Bolton, and Prince to name a few. No wonder The Peterson Family is referred to as “Minnesota’s First Family of Music”!
