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Denise Rich | |
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_(cropped).jpg) Rich in 2009 | |
| Born | Denise Eisenberg (1944-01-26)January 26, 1944 (age 81) Worcester, Massachusetts, United States |
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| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, socialite, political fundraiser |
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| Children | 3 |
Denise Rich (bornEisenberg; January 26, 1944) is an American-born Austrian singer-songwriter, socialite, philanthropist and politicalfundraiser.[1]
Denise Eisenberg was born and raised inWorcester, Massachusetts, the daughter of Gery (née Diamant) (died 1989) and Emil Eisenberg (December 24, 1912 – June 13, 2003).[2][3][4] Emil Eisenberg, the son of Jula and Wolf Eisenberg, was born inTarnov,Galicia,Austria-Hungary which is now inPoland since the end ofWorld War II.[4] In 1933, her father leftGermany forParis where he and his three brothers Henry, Zigg, and Jack established a fur store with offices also in New York City and London.[4] In 1940, her parents and her sister Monique left Paris forNew York City.[4] In 1942, her father established the Desco Shoe Corporation inWebster, Massachusetts and New York when the Eisenberg family moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, from New York.[4] In 1975 inTel Aviv,Israel, Emil Eisenberg established a girls' vocational school.[4]
She graduated fromBancroft School.[3]
In 1984, Rich penned thelyrics to "Frankie," a hit in 1985 that went gold for theR&B groupSister Sledge.[1][5] Since then, she has written songs recorded byCeline Dion,Marc Anthony,Natalie Cole,Luis Fonsi,Jessica Simpson,Patti LaBelle,Chaka Khan, andDiana Ross.[1][5][6] She has participated as a writer onGrammy Awards nominated projects, including the 1999Aretha Franklin /Mary J. Bligeduet entitled "Don't Waste Your Time".[7] Denise Rich also contributed to the Grammy Award nominated album,To A Higher Place byTramaine Hawkins (Columbia Records, 37th Annual Grammy Awards, 1994); as part of this contemporary gospel work, she co-wrote the classic hit "Aim Your Arrow High."[8][9]
Gabrielle Rich Aouad, Denise andMarc Rich's daughter, died ofleukemia at age 27. As a result, Denise Rich and Philip Aouad, Gabrielle's widower, and her daughters Ilona Rich Schachter and Daniella Rich Kilstock founded the G&P Foundation for Cancer Research.[5] It has since been renamed Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research.[10][11] As of 2018, Gabrielle's Angel Foundation has awarded $33 million in research grants. Rich also made a $1 million donation funding the construction of The Gery and Emil Eisenberg Assisted Living Residence on the grounds of theJewish Healthcare Center inWorcester, an 80-unit facility named for her parents.[12]
Denise Eisenberg met businessmanMarc Rich on ablind date.[13] They married and had three children, Daniella, Ilona, and Gabrielle.[1][10] They divorced in 1996.[14]
Marc Rich received apardon from U.S. PresidentBill Clinton on January 20, 2001,Clinton's last day in office.[6][15] The pardon became controversial after reports surfaced that Denise Rich had made donations totalling more than $1 million tothe Democratic Party and theClinton Presidential Center.[6][15] At acongressional hearing into whether the pardon was granted in exchange for her contributions, Rich invoked theFifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which denies the government power to compel self-incrimination.[6][15]
Denise Richrenounced her U.S. citizenship in November 2011 and became anAustrian citizen.[16][17][18][a]
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