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People have told me they find my music "soothing," so they call me "the gentle giant." I am currently 6'8", but I wasn't born this tall. It just seems like it. Obviously, I played some basketball, made a few college all star teams and taught "living history." Here's how it all started. 
I was born in 1957 and adopted at age two. My brother is Hispanic and my sister is Native American. My family is my inspiration for my diversity and love of all people of all races and religions. They are my focus for One People, One Planet. Everyone talks about the erosion of family values and the change in the social climate. I experienced this first hand as I traveled the country after I left teaching. I decided then that I needed to do something about this and created the "World Beat Tour" in 1994 to reach people of all ages and backgrounds through the common ground of music. I stated before that God, nature and love are the inspiration for everything that I do. I love where I live and who I live it with. We are one with God and nature. I chose to live in the Boundary Waters of Ely, Minnesota in a house that I built with my wife Donna and son Trevor. Nestled in the forest, I live with God, nature and love. Now you can start to get the picture where my inspiration comes from. Check out some of the pictures on this site and the last two CD covers and you can see the influence that my life has had on my music. So far I have interacted through my music with over 10 million people. That's a lot of responsibility and one I don't take lightly, but I enjoy giving people another perspective of God, nature and love, and also social issues, peace and hope. These things all blend together and have transcended me to write more spiritual songs, even a whole album of just music. Additionally, I regard myself as a Christian Environmentalist, which are big words that mean I write music that reflects the enormous responsibility we have to take care of this beautiful planet. Spiritwood, the place that I live and the name of my music company. My house sits on a lake amid the trees of the Boundary Waters nestled against a 170 foot cliff. Spiritwood. The name reflects the Spirit that brought me to this place, God's charge to honor and preserve the land. Additionally, it reminds me of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, hence the cross in the Spiritwood logo. Even more important though is my dream to offer an Outward Bound experience for abused and abandoned children, right here in one of the country's last wilderness refuges, right here in Spiritwood, the Eden of my dreams. More About Pat ~ 
 
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