Pat Wictor burst on the folk and acoustic scene as an innovative slide guitarist known for fresh and memorable interpretations of traditional and contemporary songs. Since then, he’s made his mark as a singer-songwriter penning lean and poetic songs that honor and extend rural blues and gospel traditions. For seven years he toured as one third of Brother Sun, the powerful harmonizing trio with Joe Jencks and Greg Greenway, garnering critical acclaim, two #1 CDs on the Folk DJ charts, and a continent-spanning tour schedule.
Flare, Wictor’s newest recording, a concept album about political division in America, was hailed as “brilliant” by WFUV’s John Platt, and reached #1 on the Folk-DJ charts in 2022. His duo album Counterpoise was a collaboration with jazz vocalist and multi-media artist Deborah Latz. His previous solo release, This is Absolutely Real: Visions and Versions of Phil Ochs, reached #2 on the Folk-DJ charts and was nominated for Best Tribute Album by the Independent Music Awards.
An American by birth, Pat spent his early years in Venezuela, the Netherlands, Norway, England, and East Texas. His time abroad gave him an outsider’s perspective and set him on a journey to understanding America – and his own American-ness – through music. His early experiences of living amidst different languages and cultures made him accustomed to charting his own course and being ready for the unexpected.
Pat took a convoluted path to folk music, winding his way through rock, heavy metal, jazz, and free improvisation. He started with guitar, shifted to bass, moved to saxophone, and then quit music entirely before returning to guitar, and teaching himself lap slide guitar. He organized and ran a songwriters’ circle in NYC for 13 years, mentoring and influencing dozens of songwriters. His monthly e-mail column, “A Few Choice Words,” is read by thousands of subscribers. He is a music educator of note, teaching workshops on songwriting and interpretation, guitar techniques, vocal and instrumental improvisation, body percussion, and various topics of music history.
October 4 @ 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Greenwich Village Folk Festival: Live 40th Anniversary Concert